The indefinite article – a, an
The indefinite article a is the same for all genders.
- a boy
- a girl
- a cat
The indefinite article has no plural form.
- a boy → boys
We use an if the following word starts with a spoken vowel.
| the following word starts with a spoken consonant | the following word starts with a spoken vowel |
|---|---|
| a boya schoola girl | an auntan old schoolan American girl |
| Mind the pronunciation of the following word. | |
| The first sound we speak is [j], so we use a → a unit | The first sound we speak is [ʌ], so we use an → an uncle |
Use of the indefinite article a/an
before phrases of time and measurements (per week/weekly)
- We have English 4 times a week.
- I go on holiday twice a year.
- Our car can do 220 kilometers an hour.
- Tomatoes are $2 a kilo.
before phrases of jobs
- My father is a car mechanic.
with a noun complement
- He is a good boy.
before phrases of nationality
- Bruce Springsteen is an American.
half/quite
- We need half a pound of sugar.
- This is quite a good story.