Indefinite Articles, Explanations and Exercise

INDEFINITE ARTICLES A / An

A

The article A is used before singular, countable nouns which begin with consonant sounds. 

Articolul nehotarat A se foloseste cu substantivele numarabile care incep cu o consoana.

Atentie ! Este vorba de pronuntie - se refera la substantivele a caror pronuntie incepe cu o consoana. 
Important este sunetul si nu felul in care este scris cuvantul respectiv.

Exista substantive sau alt tip de cuvinte [ adjective, de exemplu ] care incep cu o consoana dar se pronunta fara consoana initiala:

ex. an honorable man - H nu se pronunta, motiv pentru care se foloseste articolul nehotarat AN

an hour - H nu se pronunta, de aceea se foloseste articolul nehotarat AN

If there is an adjective or an adverb-adjective combination before the noun, A(AN) should agree with the first sound in the adjective or the adverb-adjective combination.

Examples:

He is an excellent singer / He is a singer.

She wrote an essay / She wrote a long essay.

She is an excellent dentist / She is a dentist.

Use AN before words such as "hour" which sound like they start with a vowel even if the first letter is a consonant.

Also use AN before letters and numbers which sound like they begin with a vowel, such as "F", "L", "M",,, or "8".

Remember, it is the sound not the spelling which is important.

Examples:

I only have an hour for lunch. 

Does his name begin with an "F"? 

AN

The article AN is used before singular, countable nouns which begin with vowel sounds.
Examples:

She is an actress.

He didn't get an invitation.

I saw an eagle at the zoo.

Note: You cannot use A / AN with plural nouns
Use A before words such as "European" or "university" which sound like they start with a consonant even if the first letter is a vowel. 

Also use A before letters and numbers which sound like they begin with a consonant, such as "U", "J", "1" or "9".
Remember, it is the sound not the spelling which is important.
For example, "1" is spelled O-N-E; however, it is pronounced "won" like it starts with a "W".
Examples:

She is a European citizen.

That number is a "1". 

In English, some nouns are uncountable such as: information, news, knowledge, water, sugar, air, advice, money, etc.

We do not use A(AN) with these uncountable nouns.  

If we want to count them, there are quantifiers to be used:
ex. a piece of information
      a word of advice
      a bag of money
     an item of furniture

REMEMBER !

A – with consonant voiced nouns

AN – with vowel voiced nouns

 EXERCISE:

Add a / an to the following:

Hour, heir, heiress, hospitable man, hospital, usual thing, union, uniform, unit, UFO, Unidentified Flying Object, European citizen, university, X-ray, egg, ice-cream, education, unicorn, year, ear, yard, yellow wall, L, W, X

English Definite and Zero Articles, Explanations

ENGLISH DEFINITE ARTICLE

1. Deserts: the Sahara, the Gobi
2. Capes : the Cape of Good Hope
3. Rivers: the Danube, the Nile, the Mississippi
4. Seas: the Black Sea
5. Oceans: the Atlantic Ocean
6. Countries [ few]: the USA, the  Netherlands, theRepublic of Korea, the U.K., the Republic of China [ or, simply, China, with no article ]
7. Cities [ few] : the Hague
8. Ships: the Titanic, the Queen Victoria, the Mayflower
9. Newspapers: the Guardian, the Times, the New York Times
10. Institutions, organizations: libraries, theaters, cinemas, town halls: the Town Hall, the University of Virginia, the United Nations[ the U.N.], the F.B.I
11. Groups of Islands: the Hebrides, the Philippines
12. Mountain ranges : the Alps, the Carpathians, the Andes
13. Canals : The Suez
14. Gulfs : the San Francisco Gulf
15. Hotels: the Marriott
16. Restaurants: the Lido
17. Museums: the Madame Tussauds
18. Groups of lakes : the Great Lakes
19. Plurals: the Kennedys
20. Number ranges: the Sixties
21. Zoos: the Brookfield Zoo
22. Some buildings: the Empire State Building
23. Languages [with “language”] : the Korean language
24. Titles [no name] : the President, the Sun King
25. Regions :the Midwest
26. German mountains: the Matterhorn

                                ZERO ARTICLE

 1. The generic function: this function is specific to the zero article; it goes with mass nouns:

Dogs are friendly animals

Water is heavier than oil.

Blood is thicker than water.

Love is a noble feeling.

Music is the finest of arts.

Exceptions:

Man is mortal.

Spring begins in March.

Breakfast is the first meal of the day.

  2. Before the vocatives:

         Listen, John! Good bye, Sir! Of course, boy!

    3.  Zero article can be a non – significant determiner in a variety of cases:

-        with proper nouns, names of countries, towns, continents,  people, months of the year, days of the week, languages, titles and ranks.

E.g. Europe, Romania, Africa, Rome, John, January, Monday,

-        With titles and ranks + surname or when we address a person by his / her title or rank, articles of any kind are dropped.

e.g.

Professor Johnson is away.

Dr. Cook has not been here for ten years.

Captain Brown has come recently.

Can I talk to you, Doctor?

Colonel, someone is looking for you!

     4. Zero article is used before meals:

We are having dinner at eight.

   5.  Zero article after prepositions:

--the definite article is not used before the nouns listed below:

We go to /bed / sleep / church / hospital / school / college /university

--exceptions to the rule are: cathedral, cinema, theatre, office

E.g. 

John and Mary are at the cinema.

We go to the theater every week.

6. Zero article with nouns associated with numerals:

E.g.

We say: Ex. 10, Lesson 5, Chapter 11, Volume 9, Book 1, Section 3

 7.  Zero article in set phrases:

E.g.

From time to time

At dawn / night / midday / noon / midnight

From dawn to dusk

By sea / land / train

On sale

Last night

In front of

8. Sometimes the article is omitted in stage directions, titles, telegrams, poetry.

e.g. 

Mutilated body found in Yellow Lake![newspaper title] 

Boys coming Monday night! [telegram]

   9. Zero article is used with:

People: Queen Victoria

Large lakes: Lake Ontario

Single mountains : Mt. Fuji [ exceptions to the rule: the Matterhorn, the Jungfrau ]

“Name” – number : Chapter 6, Flight 167

Individual people: Maggie, G. Bush

Continents, countries, states, cities: Australia, Canada,Illinois, Chicago

Months, days : October, Monday

Languages: Korean

Streets, Avenues: Lincoln Ave.

Small lakes: Homer Lake

Single islands: Staten Island

Colleges / Universities : Harvard [University], but : theUniversity of Harvard

Parks : Hessel Park, Hyde Park

Magazines: Life

Some buildings: Davenport Hall