FUNCTIONAL ENGLISH

(English-I)

Akhtar Ali

The Article
Lecture - III
 ‘A or An’

A or an is called the indefinite articles because it usually indefinite the person or thing
spoken of; as A doctor, that is any doctor.

The choice between a and an

• It is determined by sound1-before a word beginning with a vowel sound an is used,

as
an ass, an enemy, an orange, an honest man.

The words hour, honest, heir login with a vowel sound, as The initial consonant h is not
pronounced
 ‘A or An’

Before a word beginning with a consonant sound a is used; as

• A boy, a reindeer, a woman, a horse. Also a union, a European because these

words(union, European) begin with a consonant sound of yu. Again

• A one-rupee note a one-eyed man because one begins with the consonant sound
of w.
Use of indefinite article

1. The indefinite article is used

In its original numerical sense of one; as
1 Twelve inches make a foot
2 Not a word was said
3 This is a pen

2. In the vague sense of a certain; as

An Aslam (a certain person named Aslam) is suspected by the police.
Repetition of the articles

Consider the following sentences

I. I have a black and white dog.

It means a dog that is partly black and partly white.

II. I have a black and a white dog.

It means two dogs, one black and one white.
Repetition of the articles

• Hence when two or more adjectives qualify the same noun, the article is
used before the first adjective only; but when they qualify different nouns,
the article is normally used before each adjective.
Rules

• We use indefinite article before a combination of an adjective and a common noun

in the singular number.
e.g.

1. He is a rich man.

2. She is a beautiful girl.

3. You are a clever boy.

4. It was a wonderful dream.

Rules

• We may use the indefinite article with the superlative degree of adjective
“much” (most) when we use the superlative degree in the sense of ‘very’

Thus we may say:

1. This is a most amusing story.

2. This is a most fantastic piece of news.