What are Indefinite Articles (a, an) ?
In English, articles are words that come before nouns to show whether the noun is specific or general. Articles are divided into two types:
Indefinite Articles – a, an
Definite Article – the
Let’s focus on Indefinite Articles (a, an) in this lesson.
1. What are Indefinite Articles?
Indefinite articles refer to non-specific nouns.
They are used when we are talking about something for the first time, or something that is not identified or not known to the listener or reader.
Example:
I saw a dog in the street. (We don’t know which dog)
She wants to eat an apple. (Any apple, not a specific one)
When to Use ‘a’ and When to Use ‘an’?
The choice between ‘a’ and ‘an’ depends on the sound (not the letter) that follows the article.
Use ‘a’ before a word that begins with a consonant sound:
a cat
a boy
a house
a university (sounds like ‘yu’, a consonant sound)
Use ‘an’ before a word that begins with a vowel sound:
an apple
an umbrella
an hour (silent ‘h’, sounds like “our”)
an honest man
Tip:
Don’t go by spelling alone. Go by pronunciation/sound.
Why Do We Use Indefinite Articles?
To talk about something for the first time
I saw a bird in the garden.
She bought an orange.
To refer to any one of a group
A student must respect their teacher. (any student, not a specific one)
An elephant is a big animal.
To describe someone’s job or role
He is a doctor.
She is an engineer.
To show quantities like one (1)
I need a pen.
He has an idea.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
I have an pencil. Correct: I have a pencil.
(Because pencil starts with a consonant sound)She is a artist. Correct: She is an artist.
(Because artist starts with a vowel sound)He is an university student. Correct: He is a university student.
(“University” starts with a ‘yu’ sound, not a vowel sound)
Quick Rules
| Use “a” with | Use “an” with |
|---|---|
| Consonant sounds | Vowel sounds |
| a dog | an elephant |
| a girl | an egg |
| a car | an hour |
Practice Sentences
She found a wallet on the road.
I want to eat an ice cream.
He is reading a book.
They watched an interesting movie.
We met a teacher at the seminar.
Summary:
‘A’ is used before consonant sounds.
‘An’ is used before vowel sounds.
Both are used when talking about non-specific things.
Use them for jobs, quantities, and introducing something new.