CURSO: INGLES I DOCENTE: PROF.

LUZ ZUBIZARRETA AGÜERO

INDEFINITE ARTICLE A, AN - PLURAL OF NOUNS.

Indefinite Article A, An

1. We use the indefinite article, a/an, with count nouns when the hearer/reader does
not know exactly which one we are referring to:

Police are searching for a 14 year-old girl.

2. We also use it to show the person or thing is one of a group:

She is a pupil at London Road School.

Police have been searching for a 14 year-old girl who has been missing since
Friday.

Jenny Brown, a pupil at London Road School, is described as 1.6 metres tall with
short blonde hair.

She was last seen wearing a blue jacket, a blue and white blouse and dark blue
jeans and blue shoes.

Anyone who has information should contact the local police on 0800349781.

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

She was wearing blue shoes. (= plural noun)

She has short blonde hair. (= uncount noun)

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CURSO: INGLES I DOCENTE: PROF. LUZ ZUBIZARRETA AGÜERO

Police have been searching for a 14 year-old girl who has been missing since
Friday.

Jenny Brown, a pupil at London Road School, is described as 1.6 metres tall with
short blonde hair.

She was last seen wearing a blue jacket, a blue and white blouse and dark blue
jeans and blue shoes.

Anyone who has information should contact the local police on 0800349781.

4. We use a/an to say what someone is or what job they do:

My brother is a doctor.

George is a student.

5. We use a/an with a singular noun to say something about all things of that kind:

A man needs friends. (= All men need friends)

A dog likes to eat meat. (= All dogs like to eat meat)

6. The indefinite article – a

The indefinite article a is the same for all genders.

a boy

a girl

a cat

The indefinite article has no plural form.

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CURSO: INGLES I DOCENTE: PROF. LUZ ZUBIZARRETA AGÜERO

a boy → boys

We use an if the following word starts with a spoken vowel.

the following word starts with a the following word starts with a
spoken consonant spoken vowel

a boy an aunt

a school an old school

a girl an American girl

Mind the pronunciation of the following word.
The first sound we speak is [j], so we The first sound we speak is [ʌ], so we
use a → a unit use an → an uncle

2. Use of the indefinite article a/an

2.1. before phrases of time and measurements (per week/weekly)

We have English 4 times a week.

I go on holiday twice a year.

Our car can do 220 kilometres an hour.

Tomatoes are $2 a kilo.

2.2. before phrases of jobs

My father is a car mechanic.

2.3. with a noun complement

He is a good boy.

2.4. before phrases of nationality

Bruce Springsteen is an American.

2.5. half/quite

We need half a pound of sugar.

This is quite a good story.

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CURSO: INGLES I DOCENTE: PROF. LUZ ZUBIZARRETA AGÜERO

Jobs

What is your job?

I am a teacher.

What is her job?

She is a student.

What is his job?

He is a student.

An engineer A mechanic

An artist A lawyer

An accountant A pilot

An actor A nurse