THE ARTICLE

1. The indefinite article

2. The definite article
3. Zero article

1. THE INDEFINITE ARTICLE: A / AN

A dog
An elephant

N.B.! The choice between a and an depends on pronunciation, not spelling. We use an before
a vowel sound, even if it is written as a consonant.
An hour /∂n au∂/
An MP /∂n em pi:/

And we use a before a consonant sound, even if it is written as a vowel.

A university /∂ ju:.../
A one-pound coin /∂ w ۸ n.../

A is sometimes pronounced /ei/ before an hesitation, when we want to emphasise the

following word, or when we want to make a contrast with the.
It’s a /ei/ reason. – it’s the only reason.

Use:

1. unknown element: I met a man.

2. numeric: I met a girl and two boys.
A hundred, a thousand
3. generic: A lion is a wild animal.
4. professions: He is a doctor.
5. a member of a family: He is a Byron.
6. price, weight, distance: I read two books a day.
I paid two dollars a kilo.
7. illness: I have a cold.
8. exclamations: What a beautiful girl!
9 in some expressions: all of a sudden
to have a good time
in a hurry / rush
as a matter of fact
it’s a shame
in a good mood.

N.B.!
few – not many, almost none
He has few friends. He is often lonely.

a few – several
Tom has a few friends in London.

little – not much, a very small quantity

She has little money. She can’t aford a holiday this year.

a little – some, enough

He has a little money. He is going to buy a new bicycle.