A Versus AN | How to Use Indefinite

Articles “A” and “An” Correctly

Indefinite Articles – A versus An
What are Indefinite Articles?
The words a and an are called indefinite articles. We can use them with singular nouns to
talk about any single person or thing.
Deciding which indefinite article to place in front of a word depends upon the initial sound
of the word, not the first letter of the word.

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When to use ‘A’
‘A’ is used before words beginning with a consonant sound.
E.g.
A usual
A student
A doctor
A hotel

When to use AN
The article ‘an’ should be placed before words that begin with a vowel sound.
The initial sound should be a, e, i, o, or u.
E.g.
An hour,
An elephant,
An actor,
An ice-cream.

A versus An | 13 Rules for Using Indefinite Articles

1.‘A’ must be used before words which begin with a vowel symbol pronounced with the
same sound as the ‘y’ or a ‘w’-like sound.
E.g.
A Europe, A university,
A uniform, A usual,
A union, A useful thing,
A unique, A year,
A united, A one-eyed giant,
A one-dollar note.
2. Sometimes, ‘an’ is found before words beginning with the letter ‘h’.

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• Silent ‘h’ : ‘an’ is used before these words.

An hour, An hourly,
An honor, An honorarium,
An heir, An honesty,
An heirloom, An honorary.
• But this practice is going out. If ‘h’ is pronounce, ‘a’ is used:

E.g.
A hotel,
A house,
A horse,
A human being.
3. We use ‘an’ before abbreviations that begin with vowel sound.
An M.A., An N.C.C Officer,
An M.Sc., An M.Com.,
An M.B.B.S., An M.C.A,
An M.L.A., An M.B.A..
4. ‘a’ or ‘an’ must be used before a singular noun standing for things that can be counted.
England is a country.
London is a city.
Rice is a cereal.
A dog is an animal.
5. ‘a’ or ‘an’ must be used before the names of professions.
His father is a doctor.
She is an engineer.
6. Words like hero, genius, fool, thief and liar take the indefinite article.
Beware of that fellow; he is a liar.
My friend is a genius.

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7. The following word has indefinite article. SUCH + A/AN + NOUN (OR) SUCH + A/AN +
ADJECTIVE + NOUN
Such a thing,
Such a person,
Such an honor,
Such an interesting story.
8. The following word has indefinite article. SO + ADJECTIVE + A/AN + NOUN.
So interesting a person,
So nice an opportunity.
9. ‘Few’ and ‘Little’ are negative meaning. ‘A few’ and ‘a little’ are positive and mean
‘some‘.
He has little knowledge of this subject.
I have a little money on me.
He has few friends.
I have a few books on this subject.
10. In its original numerical sense of one.
Not a word was said.
Twelve inches make a foot.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
I have a book.
11. A, an = one thing or person.
Sara works in a bank.
Can I ask a question?
I have not got a car.
There’s a woman at the bus stop.
12. We use a/an when we say what a thing or a person is.
The sun is a star.
Football is a game.

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 A mouse is an animal. It’s a small animal.
He is a very jolly person.
13. We use a/an for jobs, etc.
I am a dentist.
She is a student.
Note : The indefinite articles are not used before plural nouns, proper nouns, abstract
nouns, uncountable and material nouns.
A dog is a faithful animal.
Dogs are faithful animals.

Learn how to use articles with countable and uncountable nouns in English.
The most important first step in choosing the correct article is to categorize the noun
as count or noncount.

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• A countable noun is a noun that can have a number in front of it: 1 teacher, 3
books, 38 trombones, 1,000,000 people.
• An uncountable noun is a noun that cannot have a number put in front of it: 1
water, 2 lucks, 10 airs, 21 oils, 39 informations.

Once you have correctly categorized the noun, the following “rules” apply:

Articles with Uncountable Nouns

1. You cannot say a/an with an uncountable noun.
For example:

• water (NOT a water)

• weather (NOT a weather)
• music (NOT a music)

2. You cannot put a number in front of an uncountable noun. (You cannot make an
uncountable noun plural.)
For example:

• a piece of news (NOT 1 news)

• two bottle of water (NOT 2 water)
• a grain of rice (NOT 1 rice)

3. You use an uncountable noun with no article if you mean that thing in general.
For example:

• I need help!
• I don’t eat cheese.
• Do you like music?

4. You use the with an uncountable noun when you are talking about a particular example
of that thing.
For example:

• Thanks for the help you gave me yesterday.

• I didn’t eat the cheese. It was green!
• Did you like the music they played at the dance?

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 Articles with Countable Nouns
1.You can put a number in front of a countable noun. (You can make a countable noun
plural.)
For example:

• two cats
• three pens
• five students

2.You can put both a/an and the in front of a countable noun.

• a book
• an apple
• the lions

3. You must put an article in front of a singular countable noun.

4. You use a plural countable noun with no article if you mean all or any of that thing.
For example:

• I don’t like dogs.

• Do they have children?
• I don’t need questions. Give me answers!

5. You usually use a/an with a countable noun the first time you say or write that noun.
For example:

• John has a dog and a cat. The dog is called Rover, and the cat is called Fluffy.

6. You use the with countable nouns when the second and subsequent times you use the
noun or when the listener already knows what you are referring to (maybe because there
is only one of that thing).
For example:

• Where’s the pencil I lent you yesterday?

• I think the cat belongs to the new neighbors.
• I dropped the mp3 player and it broke.
• Please shut the door!

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7. You use an (not a) when the next word (adverb, adjective, noun) starts with a vowel
sound.

Note | Articles with Countable and Uncountable Nouns

1.The above rules apply whether there is or there is not an adjective in front of the noun.
For example:

• I don’t eat German cheese.

• Can I borrow a red pencil, please?
• There’s an extremely large cat in the garden!
• I don’t like small, noisy children.

2. Some nouns can be either count or noncount, depending on the context and meaning:
For example:

• Do you have paper? I want to draw a picture. (noncount = a sheet of paper)

• Can you get me a paper when you’re at the shop? (count = a newspaper)

3. Uncountable nouns are often preceded by phrases such as: a lot of .. (luck), a piece of
.. (cake), a bottle of .. (milk), a grain of .. (rice).
* Instead of an article, the noun can also be preceded by a determiner such as this, that,
some, many or my, his, our, etc.

❖ WHEN TO USE NO ARTICLE | 7 RULES

1. We usually use no article to talk about things in general.
Inflation is rising.
People are worried about rising crime. (Note! People generally, so no article)

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2. We do not use an article when talking about sports and games.
My son plays football.
Tennis is expensive.
She play cricket.
3. Do not use article before the names of countries unless the name suggests that
the country is made up of smaller units or constituent parts.
Japan Bolivia
France England
Italy
Exceptions:

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Use the – the UK (United Kingdom), the USA (United States of America), the
Irish Republic… (Kingdom, state, republic and union are nouns, so they need an
article.)
4. Do not use article before the name of language.
We are learning English.
5. Do not use article before the names of railway stations when they are also place
names.
6. Do not use article before the names of meals if they refer to the meals generally,
as a part of the daily routine.
I have breakfast at eight every morning.
We have lunch in the afternoon.
But the must be used when the meal is a particular one, thought of as a social function.
The dinner will be held at the Park Plaza.

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7. Do not use article before noun + number.
The train to Paris leaves from platform 2.
Picture number 6 matches with ‘window’.

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