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Subiectul ntr-o propoziie este persoana sau lucrul despre care se vorbete. Fiecare propoziie
are nevoie de un subiect. Dac nu avei un subiect, atunci propoziia este incorect i nimeni
nu va nelege despre ce vorbii.
n alte limbi, subiectul nu este ntotdeauna necesar. n exprimarea oral, persoana care v
ascult va nelege despre ce vorbii, aadar subiectul nu este obligatoriu. n limba englez,
subiectul este ntotdeauna necesar.
Iat cteva exemple de propoziii scurte, n care subiectul este subliniat.
"I am hungry"
"My brother is very smart"
"That computer is very expensive"
"We are going to the store now"
"My sister and I will be waiting here"
"The building is very big"
"When are you going to eat lunch?"
"Why are they waiting in line?"
"Who is going to take you to the store?"
Ce este predicatul?
Predicatul dintr-o propoziie este componenta care informeaz persoana cu privire la ce este
sau ce face subiectul. Este o structur care conine un verb. Verbul este ntotdeauna predicat.
Haidei s analizm propoziiile pe care le-am folosit n lecia despre subiect, pentru a
identifica predicatele. Acestea vor fi subliniate.
"I am hungry"
"My brother is very smart"
"That computer is very expensive"
"We are going to the store now"
"The building is very big"
n propoziiile scurte de mai sus, am identificat subiectul i predicatul. n majoritatea
propoziiilor de baz, este nevoie de un subiect i de o aciune asociat cu subiectul. Haidei
s trecem la verbe pentru a nelege acest lucru mai n detaliu.
Ce este verbul?
Un verb desemneaz o aciune, o existen sau un fapt care se ntmpl. n propoziiile simple
pe care le-am folosit pn acum, verbul este n general n forma existenial. Aceste forme
sunt: am, is i are.
Alte tipe de verbe sunt verbele de aciune, precum:
Wash
Run
Walk
Throw
Jump
Dance
Laugh
Learn
Teach
Exist numeroase verbe de aciune, ns am enumerate doar cteva, pentru a ilustra la ce m
refer. Iat cteva propoziii care v vor ajuta s nelegei aceasta.
"I need to wash my face"
"Jane taught Jill"
"Mike is laughing"
Un verb poate fi plasat i la nceputul propoziiei.
"Throw the ball at the catcher"
"Run towards the finish line"
Este important s nelegei verbul, ns o propoziie constituit numai dintr-un subiect i un
verb nu este complet. De exemplu, Jill run nu este o propoziie complet. Dei Jill poate fi
subiect i run este un verb, aceasta nu este o propoziie complet. Din acest motiv lecia
anterioar despre predicat este important. Cu ajutorul predicatului, putem transforma
propoziia ntr-o propoziie adecvat. Jill is running.
Ce este articolul?
Articolul pare a fi foarte simplu, ns este extrem de dificil de predat.
Cuvintele a, an i the sunt articole. Este uor de explicat diferena dintre ele, ns este
dificil de explicat situaiile n care se folosesc.
"A i an au acelai neles. Ambele sunt articole nehotrte. Singura diferen relev de
cuvntul sau sunetul care urmeaz dup ele. Iat o scurt explicaie.
Se folosete a n momentul n care cuvntul care urmeaz ncepe cu o consoan.
"A dog..."
"A boy..."
"A building..."
"A hamburger..."
Se folosete an n momentul n care cuvntul care urmeaz ncepe cu o vocal.
"An eagle..."
"An umbrella..."
"An elephant..."
"An awesome book..."
"The este articol hotrt. Diferena este dac substantivul sau subiectul despre care se
vorbete este specificat sau nu. Exemplele reprezint cel mai bun mod n care se poate ilustra
diferena, aadar haidei s aruncm o privire.
Dac spunei I am going to a library to study, atunci persoana cu care vorbii nu tie despre
ce bibliotec este vorba. Dac spunei I am going to the library to study, atunci persoana cu
care vorbii tie despre care bibliotec anume este vorba.
"I am going to a coffee shop" (Nu se specific o anumit cafenea.)
"I am going to the coffee shop" (O cafenea pe care att vorbitorul, ct i interlocutorul su, o
cunosc.)
Acesta este un exemplu uor diferit, ns care folosete n continuare acelai concept de
specific sau general.
"I am going to sit in front of one of the computers in the lab"
"I am going to buy a computer"
Dei computerul din laborator poate fi unul dintre mai multe computere, articolul corect este
the, deoarece este totui un computer specific, care exist n laborator. Totui, dac spunei
c intenionai s cumprai un computer, nu putei folosi the, numai dac nu v referii la
un computer anume, deja specificat. Cumprarea unui computer este foarte general,
deoarece nu se refer la o anumit marc, tip sau dimensiune. Prin urmare, trebuie s folosii
a n acest tip de propoziie.
Iat un alt tip de exemplu:
"The heat wave is unbearable"
"I heard a heat wave is coming"
Diferena dintre aceste dou propoziii const n aceea c heat wave este specificat n prima
propoziie i nu este specificat n a doua. n prima propoziie, valul de cldur este deja
prezent i att vorbitorul, ct i interlocutorul su, tiu c valul de cldur despre care vorbesc
este cel pe care l resimt la momentul respectiv. Cea de-a doua propoziie se refer la un val
de cldur viitor, care nu este specificat.
Cnd s folosii i cnd s NU folosii articol
O regul de baz pe care trebuie s o reinei este aceea c nu se folosesc articole atunci cnd
v referii la un nume propriu.
"Turn right at the burger store"
"Turn right at McDonalds"
"The boy was running very fast"
"Mike was running very fast"
Un alt exemplu de situaie n care nu se folosete articol este atunci cnd v referii la lucruri
generale n conversaie.
"Too much alcohol is bad for you"
"Cigarettes can cause lung cancer"
Atunci cnd v referii la sporturi, nu avei nevoie de articol.
"I love playing badminton"
"Football is a dangerous sport"
n majoritatea cazurilor, nu avei nevoie de articol cnd v referii la o ar, cu excepia
situaiei n care numele se refer la mai multe ri sau regiuni. De exemplu, dac spunei
England sau Scotland, nu avei nevoie de articol, ns dac v referii la The United
Kingdom sau The United States, atunci articolul este necesar.
Basic English Grammar Lessons
1. Singular and Plural Nouns
2. Count Nouns vs. Non-Count Nouns
3. Possessive Nouns
4. Pronouns
5. 'Be' Verbs
6. Action Verbs
7. Adjectives
8. Comparative and Superlative Adjectives
9. Adverbs
10. Simple Tense
11. Progressive and Perfect Tense
12. Perfect Progressive Tense
13. Irregular Verbs
14. Gerunds
15. Infinitives 1
16. Infinitives 2
wife wives
leaf leaves
life lives
Some nouns have different plural forms.
child children
woman women
man men
mouse mice
goose geese
Nouns ending in vowels like y or o do not have definite rules.
baby babies
toy toys
kidney kidneys
potato potatoes
memo memos
stereo stereos
A few nouns have the same singular and plural forms.
sheep sheep
deer deer
series series
species species
Count Nouns vs. Non-Count Nouns
Count nouns
Can be counted as one or more.
pen, computer, bottle, spoon, desk, cup, television, chair, shoe, finger, flower, camera,
stick, balloon, book, table, comb, etc.
Take an s to form the plural.
pens, computers, bottles, spoons, desks, cups, televisions, chairs, shoes, fingers,
flowers, cameras, sticks, balloons, books, tables, combs, etc.
Work with expressions such as (a few, few, many, some, every, each, these, and the number
of).
a few pens, a few computers, many bottles, some spoons, every desk, each cup, these
televisions, the number of chairs, a few shoes, a few fingers, many flowers, some cameras,
every stick, each balloon, these books, the number of tables, many combs, etc.
Work with appropriate articles (a, an, or the).
a pen, the computer, a bottle, the spoon, a desk, the cup, a television, the chair, a shoe,
the finger, a flower, the camera, a stick, the balloon, a book, the table, a comb, etc.
Do NOT work with much (for example, you would never say much pens or much computers).
Non-count nouns
Cannot be counted. They usually express a group or a type.
water, wood, ice, air, oxygen, English, Spanish, traffic, furniture, milk, wine, sugar,
rice, meat, flour, soccer, sunshine, etc.
Generally cannot be pluralized.
Work both with and without an article (a, an, or the), depending on the context of the
sentence.
Sugar is sweet.
The sunshine is beautiful.
I drink milk.
He eats rice.
We watch soccer together.
The wood is burning.
Work with expressions such as (some, any, enough, this, that, and much).
We ate some rice and milk.
I hope to see some sunshine today.
This meat is good.
She does not speak much Spanish.
Do you see any traffic on the road?
That wine is very old.
Do NOT work with expressions such as (these, those, every, each, either, or neither).
Possessive Nouns
Possessive nouns are used to indicate ownership.
Possessive nouns usually are formed by adding an apostrophe (') and s.
John's book
Kerry's car
Grandma's mirror
When a noun is plural and ends in s, just add an apostrophe (').
The kids' toys
My parents' house
The teachers' lounge
If two people own one thing, add the apostrophe and s to the second person only.
John and Mary's new house
David and Sue's wedding
Tom and Doug's car
If two people own separate things, add the apostrophe and s for each person.
Susan's and Beth's books
Jean's and Dan's pants
Ben's and Jim's offices
Pronouns
A pronoun takes the place of a noun.
Example story:
Mary is one of the heads of the ToJi Corporation. Mary works with Mr. James and Mr. James'
son Tom. Mr. James and Mr. James' son Tom are experts in biochemistry. Mary, Mr. James,
and Tom researched and invented a drug for cancer treatment.
If the story above is written using pronouns:
Mary is one of the heads of the ToJi Corporation. She works with Mr. James andhis son
Tom. He and his son Tom are experts in biochemistry. They researched and invented a drug
for cancer treatment.
Personal Pronouns
Personal pronouns refer to a person:
I go to school.
You are a student.
They are Koreans.
He works here.
We gave her food.
Second
Singular Subject
Singular Object
Third
Male
Female
Neutral
You
he
she
it
me
You
him
her
it
Singular Reflexive
myself
Yourself
himself
herself
itself
Plural Subject
we
You
they
Plural Object
us
You
them
Plural Reflexive
ourselves
Yourselves
themselves
'Be' Verbs
A verb shows action or a state of being.
I go home. Home is my place to rest. I like the smell of my house. I feel totally relaxed.
Home refreshes me. At home, I get ready for a new day.
"Be" verbs indicate a state of being.
Verbs must match subjects.
I am a doctor.
He is sleepy.
We are here.
Negative sentences need not' after the verb.
I am not a doctor.
He is not sleepy.
We are not there.
The verb comes first in interrogative sentences.
Am I a doctor?
Is he sleepy?
Are we there?
"Are not" (is not) can be shortened to "aren't" (isn't).
He isn't sleepy.
We aren't there.
Remember the variations of "be" verbs:
Present
Negative
Interrogative
I am
I am not
Am I?
You are
Are you?
He is
He is not (isn't)
Is he?
She is
Is she?
It is
It is not (isn't)
Isn't it?
We are
Are we?
You are
Are you?
They are
Are they?
Action Verbs
Action verbs express action and are the most common verbs.
Action verbs need s at the end with third-person, singular subjects.
He eats bread.
She walks to the station.
It floats on the sea.
Negative sentences need do not, does not, or did not.
I do not eat bread.
He does not eat bread.
You did not walk to the station.
It does not float on the sea.
Interrogative sentences begin with do, does, or did.
Do you eat bread?
Does he eat bread?
Does she walk to the station?
Did they finish it?
Do not can be shortened to don't, does not to doesn't, and did not to didn't.
I don't eat bread.
She doesn't walk to the station.
It doesn't float on the sea.
Interrogative Sentence
I sing a song.
Do I sing a song?
He (she) sings a song. He (she) does not (doesn't) sing a song. Does he (she) sing a song?
We sing a song.
Do we sing a song?
Adjectives
Adjectives describe or modify nouns.
I like fairy tales. A fairy tale is an imaginary story that has unrealistic characters in
a fantastic background. It makes me forget about the real world and refreshes my tired mind.
Adjectives generally appear immediately before the noun.
A pretty girl
Red flowers
A long stick
Heavy boxes
Warm weather
Commonly, adjectives of opposite meaning are formed by adding a prefix such asun, in,
or dis.
clear unclear, important unimportant, predictable unpredictable, believable
unbelievable, common uncommon, aware unaware, ambiguous unambiguous,
conventional unconventional, certain uncertain
definite indefinite, correct incorrect, comparable incomparable, complete
incomplete, evitable inevitable, expensive inexpensive
able disable, assemble disassemble, content discontent, similar dissimilar
When using a string of adjectives, they should appear in a set order: size/shape + age + color
+ origin + material.
A big brown house
A small old English desk
A beautiful black Italian leather purse
happy happily
easy easily
Simple Tense
Verb tense tells you when the action happens. There are three main verb tenses: present, past,
and future. Each main tense is divided into simple, progressive, perfect, and perfect
progressive tenses.
Present
Past
Future
Simple
finish
finished
will finish
Progressive
am/is/are finishing
Perfect
have/has finished
had finished
Perfect Progressive have/has been finishing had been finishing will have been finishing
Things to remember about simple tense:
a. Present tense is the original verb form.
b. Past tense has a few patterns.
c. Future tense needs will (shall) + verb.
run
I run a marathon twice a year. (present)
I ran a marathon last year. (past)
I will run a marathon next year. (future)
eat
I eat lunch in my office.
I ate lunch an hour ago.
I will eat lunch in one hour.
see
I see a movie once a week.
I saw a movie yesterday.
I will see a movie tomorrow.
know
I know it.
I knew it the day before yesterday.
I will know it by tomorrow.
learn
I learn English.
I learned English the last two years.
I will learn English next year.
cook
I cook my supper every night.
I cooked our dinner already.
I will cook breakfast tomorrow.
Progressive and Perfect Tense
Progressive Tense
The progressive tense involves action that is, was, or will be in progress at a certain time. In
the progressive tense, verbs are formed with a "be" verb + ing.
run
I am running a marathon right now. (present progressive)
I was running a marathon at this time last year. (past progressive)
I will be running a marathon next Sunday. (future progressive)
eat
I am eating lunch now.
I was eating lunch when you saw me.
I will be eating lunch in the meeting.
learn
I am learning English at my desk.
I was learning English the last two years.
I will be learning English then.
cook
I am cooking my supper now.
I was cooking our dinner when you called me.
I will be cooking breakfast by the time you come home.
Perfect Tense
The present perfect tense describes an action that started in the past and continues to the
present time. Use has/have + the past participle form of the verb.
The past perfect tense describes an action that started and ended in the past. Usehad + the past
participle form of the verb.
The future perfect tense describes future actions that will occur before some other action.
Use will have + the past participle form of the verb.
run
I have run several marathons this year. (present perfect)
I had run many marathons in the past. (past perfect)
I will have run a marathon by the time I turn 30. (future perfect)
learn
I have learned a lot about English grammar this semester.
I had learned the basics of English grammar in elementary school.
I will have learned a lot about English grammar when I finish college.
know
I have known her since I was young.
I had known her until she passed away.
I will have known her for 20 years next month.
cook
I have cooked supper every night this week.
I had cooked supper every night until the stove broke.
I will have cooked supper every night by the time this diet ends.
Perfect Progressive Tense
The perfect progressive tense describes actions that repeated over a period of time in the past,
are continuing in the present, and/or will continue in the future.
The present perfect progressive tense tells you about a continuous action that was initiated in
the past and finished at some point in the past; however, the action has some relation to the
present time. Use have/has + been + ing.
It has been raining, and the street is still wet.
I have been running, and I am still tired.
She has been practicing the piano, and she is much better now.
The past perfect progressive tense illustrates a continuous action in the past that was
Base Verb
Past
Past Participle
learn
learned
Learned
study
studied
Studied
cook
cooked
Cooked
solve
solved
Solved
ask
asked
Asked
watch
watched
Watched
listen
listened
Listened
Irregular verbs do not have definite rules, but there are a few patterns.
Base Verb
Past
Past Participle
grow
grew
grown
know
knew
known
begin
began
begun
draw
drew
drawn
drive
drove
driven
fly
flew
flown
give
gave
given
speak
spoke
spoken
swim
swam
swum
go
went
gone
take
took
taken
find
found
found
spend
spent
spent
teach
taught
taught
pay
paid
paid
feel
felt
felt
buy
bought
bought
meet
met
met
have
had
had
feed
fed
fed
keep
kept
kept
cut
cut
cut
hit
hit
hit
set
set
set
shut
shut
shut
fit
fit
fit
Gerunds
A gerund (verb + ing) acts like a noun in a sentence.
Seeing is believing.
Running a marathon is not an easy thing to do.
Watching TV is sometimes harmful.
Eating is always fun.
My hobby is painting.
She loves babysitting her sister.
I like listening to music.
I wasted all my afternoon by taking a nap.
I am afraid of singing a song on a stage.
Often, a possessive noun or pronoun comes before a gerund.
I hope that you dont mind my using your pen.
ways.
It is time to do math.
It is common to think that way.
It is appropriate to keep a low profile.
It was nice to see you.
It was my pleasure to meet you.
It was my honor to have dinner with you.
It is good to see you.
It was great to go on a trip with them.
Both gerunds and infinitive phrases can function as nouns, in a variety of ways. Gerunds and
infinitives can follow certain verbs but not others. You need to remember which verbs can be
followed by only a gerund or only an infinitive.
Verbs that can precede either gerunds or infinitives without changing meanings:
continue, like, love, begin, start, propose, neglect, stand, hate
Verbs that can precede either gerunds or infinitives but change meanings:
forget, remember, stop, try
I stopped watching the movie. (I no longer watched the movie.)
I stopped to watch the movie. (I stopped what I was doing to watch the movie.)
Active Voice and Passive Voice
Verbs are either active or passive in voice. In the active voice, the subject and verb
relationship is straightforward: the subject is a do-er. In the passive voice, the subject of the
sentence is not a do-er. It is shown with by + do-er or is not shown in the sentence.
Passive voice is used when the action is the focus, not the subject. It is not important (or not
known) who does the action.
The window is broken. (It is not known who broke the window, or it is not important
to know who broke the window.)
The class has been canceled. (The focus is on the class being canceled. It is not
important to know who canceled it.)
The passive voice is often used. (The focus is on the passive voice. It is not important
to explain who the writer is.)
Passive voice should be avoided when you want more clarity in writing. However, in some
cases, you need to use passive voice to stress the action, not the actor. Also, passive voice can
be considered more polite, as it sounds less aggressive or dramatic.
That building was built in 1990.
The car was invented about a hundred years ago.
I was told that Mary moved to a different country.
Your business is appreciated.
She was elected to city council.
It was rumored that the company would lay off a few people soon.
It is recommended that the billing process be shortened.
You can easily rewrite an active sentence to a passive sentence. The object in the active
sentence becomes a subject in the passive sentence. The verb is changed to a be verb + past
participle. The subject of the active sentence follows by or is omitted.
Sam wrote a letter to Jamie.
A letter was written to Jamie by Sam.
The government built a new bridge.
Shall
Mainly used in American English to ask questions politely (it has more usages in British
English). For the future tense, will is more frequently used in American English than shall.
Shall we dance?
Shall I go now?
Lets drink, shall we?
Often used in formal settings to deliver obligation or requirement:
You shall abide by the law.
There shall be no trespassing on this property.
Students shall not enter this room.
Should (past form of shall)
Often used in auxiliary functions to express an opinion, suggestion, preference, or idea:
You should rest at home today.
I should take a bus this time.
He should be more thoughtful in the decision-making process.
Used to express that you wish something had happened but it didnt or couldnt (should +
have + past participle):
You should have seen it. It was really beautiful.
I should have completed it earlier to meet the deadline.
We should have visited the place on the way.
Used to ask for someones opinion:
What should we do now?
Should we continue our meeting?
Should we go this way?
Where should we go this summer?
Used to say something expected or correct:
There should be an old city hall building here.
Everybody should arrive by 6 p.m.
We should be there this evening.
Auxiliary Verbs "Can/Could" and "May/Might/Must"
Can
A preposition is a word that links a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase to some other part of the
sentence.
Prepositions can be tricky for English learners. There is no definite rule or formula for
choosing a preposition. In the beginning stage of learning the language, you should try to
identify a preposition when reading or listening in English and recognize its usage.
to the office
at the desk
on the table
in an hour
about myself
A preposition is used to show direction, location, or time, or to introduce an object.
Here are a few common prepositions and examples.
On
Used to express a surface of something:
I put an egg on the kitchen table.
The paper is on my desk.
Used to specify days and dates:
The garbage truck comes on Wednesdays.
I was born on the 14th day of June in 1988.
Used to indicate a device or machine, such as a phone or computer:
He is on the phone right now.
She has been on the computer since this morning.
My favorite movie will be on TV tonight.
Used to indicate a part of the body:
The stick hit me on my shoulder.
He kissed me on my cheek.
I wear a ring on my finger.
Used to indicate the state of something:
Everything in this store is on sale.
The building is on fire.
At
Used to point out specific time:
Used to indicate the person that does something in a passive voice sentence:
The microwave was fixed by the mechanic.
The flowers were delivered by a postman.
The branch office was closed by the head office.
Used to indicate an action with a particular purpose:
You can pass the exam by preparing for it.
I expressed my feeling toward her by writing a letter.
She finally broke the record by pure effort.
Used to indicate a mean or method:
Please send this package to Russia by airmail.
I came here by subway.
Coordinating Conjunctions and Correlative Conjunctions
A conjunction joins words or groups of words in a sentence.
I ate lunch with Kate and Derma.
Because it is rainy today, the trip is canceled.
She didnt press the bell, but I did.
There are three types of conjunctions:
1.Coordinating Conjunctions
a.Connect words, phrases, or clauses that are independent or equal
b.and, but, or, so, for, yet, and not
2.Correlative Conjunctions
a.Used in pairs
b.both/and, either/or, neither/nor, not only/but also
3.Subordinating Conjunctions
a.Used at the beginning of subordinate clauses
b.although, after, before, because, how, if, once, since, so that, until, unless, when, while,
where, whether, etc.
Coordinating Conjunctions
1.Andmeans "in addition to":
We are going to a zoo and an aquarium on the same day.
2.Butconnects two different things that are not in agreement:
You will not pass the exam unless you get a score of 80 or higher.
I will not tell you anything unless you tell me what you know first.
Unless you ask her, you will never know.
12.Whenmeans "at that time":
When I came in the room, everyone looked at me.
I woke up when my baby was crying.
I started looking for a gas station when my gas light went on.
13.Whilemeans "during the time":
Someone called you while you were at the meeting.
We met while we were working at the University.
My dog started barking while I was talking on the phone.
14.Whereindicates "in the place":
This is where I came from.
Please tell me where you are going.
I need to know where John hid the present.
15.Whethermeans "if it is true or not":
We will have a picnic whether it rains or not.
It is time to decide whether we should take action.
You need to decide whether or not you are hungry.
Conjunctive Adverbs
Conjunctive adverbs are words that join independent clauses into one sentence. A conjunctive
adverb helps you create a shorter sentence.
When you use a conjunctive adverb, put a semicolon (;) before it and a comma (,) after it.
We have many different sizes of this shirt; however, it comes in only one color.
Some examples of conjunctive adverbs are: accordingly, also, besides, consequently, finally,
however, indeed, instead, likewise, meanwhile, moreover, nevertheless, next, otherwise, still,
therefore, then, etc.
The due date for the final paper has passed; therefore, I could not submit mine on
time.
There are many history books; however, none of them may be accurate.
It rained hard; moreover, lightening flashed and thunder boomed.
The baby fell asleep; then, the doorbell rang.
The law does not permit drinking and driving anytime; otherwise, there would be
many more accidents.
Conjunctive adverbs look like coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, so, for, yet, nor);
however, they are not as strong as coordinating conjunctions and they are punctuated
differently.
A conjunctive adverb is also used in a single main clause. In this case, a comma (,) is used to
separate the conjunctive adverb from the sentence.
I woke up very late this morning. Nevertheless, I wasnt late to school.
She didnt take a bus to work today. Instead, she drove her car.
Jack wants a toy car for his birthday. Meanwhile, Jill wants a dollhouse for her
birthday.
They returned home. Likewise, I went home.
Indefinite and Definite Articles
The words a, an, and the are special adjectives called articles.
Indefinite Articlesa, an
anused before singular count nouns beginning with a vowel (a, e, i, o, u) or vowel sound:
an apple, an elephant, an issue, an orange
aused before singular count nouns beginning with consonants (other than a, e, i, o, u):
a stamp, a desk, a TV, a cup, a book
Definite Articlethe
Can be used before singular and plural, count and non-count nouns
1. Indefinite Article (a, an)
Used before singular nouns that are unspecified:
a pencil
an orange
Used before number collectives and some numbers:
a dozen
a gallon
Used before a singular noun followed by a restrictive modifier:
a girl who was wearing a yellow hat
Used with nouns to form adverbial phrases of quantity, amount, or degree:
I felt a bit depressed.