Indefinite articles

Indefinite articles

1. A

   • Use it when the next word starts with a CONSONANT.
     • A boy, a book, a pen
   • Use it before words starting in U and EU when they sound like YOU and when the letter H has a sound.
     • A university, a hospital, a euro
   • We use it with the names of days of the week when not referring to any particular day.
     • -I was born on a monday
   • We use it with singular nouns after the words 'what' and 'such'
     • -What a shame! -She's such a beautiful girl

2. They are invariable.

   • We use a or an, depending of the first letter of the word following the article, for pronunciation reasons.

3. An

   • Use it when the next word starts with a VOWEL
     • An animal, an example, an ice cream
   • Use it when the next word starts with a MUTE H
     • An hour

4. We use them to show the person or thing is one of the group

   • -She is a student at BUAP -Karla is training to be an engineer

5. They are used to refer to something for the first time or to refer to the number one.

   • -I want an apple and two oranges -There are a hundred students in the school

6. NOTE

   • We do not use an indefinite article with plural nouns and uncount nouns.

7. We use them with a singular noun to say something about all things of that kind.

   • -A man needs friends (=All men need friends)

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