The words "a", "an", and "the" are
special adjectives called articles. Articles define nouns as either specific or
unspecific. "A" and "an" are indefinite articles.
Indefinite articles are used before singular nouns and countable nouns that are
not specified. You cannot use "a" or "an" before plural
nouns or uncountable nouns.
"A" is used before nouns starting with consonants letters (letters
other than a, e, i, o, u). "A" is also used with words that sound
like they start with a consonant even if they start with a vowel (university,
unit, one). "An" is used before nouns starting with vowels (a, e, i,
o, u) or with a silent h (hour, honor).
Indefinite Articles - singular nouns
|
Consonants letters (letters other
than a, e, i, o, u) |
Vowels (a, e, i, o, u) |
|
·
A banana ·
A car ·
A helicopter ·
A lamp ·
A woman ·
A man ·
A dog ·
A tree ·
A sandwich ·
A robot ·
A university ·
A unit |
·
An apple ·
An animal ·
An egg ·
An elephant ·
An igloo ·
An ice cream cone ·
An ostrich ·
An onion ·
An umbrella ·
An ugly sweater ·
An hour ·
An honor |
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