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The Indefinite Article A or An


STRATEGY
Avoid confusion between “a” or “an”.
Remember the following:
“an” is used before a VOWEL SOUND.
“a” is used before a CONSONANT SOUND.
The indefinite article “a” or “an” is used:
1. Before singular “count nouns” to mean one, It is NOT USED before
“non-count nouns.”
Australia is a continent.
2. “An” is used before a word that begins with a vowel sound (a, e, i, o,
u). When words begin with “h” or “u,” either “a” or “an” can be used
depending on the sound:
An uncle A home
A university An hour
A union An honor

3. In a general statement:
An island is a body of land surrounded by water.
4. To introduce a subject that has not yet been mentioned before:
I saw a snake
5. With certain numerical expressions:
A dozen A couple A hundred A third A half
A great A great deal A lot of *Fifty miles *$10 a/per
many an/per hour day

6. With names of professions:


He is an engineer. She is a biologist.

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