4th Class English Articles Indefinite Article 'A and An'

     Indefinite Article 'A and An'

A and an are indefinite articles because they do not refer to any particular person, animal, thing or place.  

       Use of 'A'

1. A is used before a singular countable noun beginning with consonant.  

•   There is a boy in the class.
•   My father is a teacher.
•   I saw a girl crying.
•   The boy was eating a cake.
•   The child has a toy.  

      Analysis

In these sentences 'a' has been used before the nouns boy, teacher, girl, cake and toy, as all these are single countable noun beginning with a consonant.

2. A is also used before a singular noun beginning with vowel letter but sounding like a constant.  

•   The dog is a useful animal.
•   He reads in a university.
•   Mr. James is a European.
•   It was a one sided game.  

      Analysis

Here, a is used before useful, university, European and one. All of these words though begin with a vowel but their sounds are like consonant. For example, we say 'useful' as 'yousful', university as 'youniversity', etc. So before these words if we need to use article, we have to use a always.  

       Use of' An'

1. An is used before a singular noun beginning with a vowel.    

•   Mr. Bose is an old man.
•   He has an elephant.
•   Mr. James is an American.
•   He bought an egg and an umbrella  

     Analysis

In the given sentences an have been used before old, elephant. American, egg and umbrella. All of these words begin with a vowel.

2. An is also used before a singular noun beginning with consonant but sounds like vowel.  

•   He is an honest man.
•   He has got an honourable post in the company.
•   Mr. James is an M.L.A.
•   He is an M.P.  

     Analysis

Here though the words honest, honourable, M.L.A and M.P begin with consonant, but all of them sound like vowel. For example, we say honest as 'onest', honourable as 'onarable' etc.