When can you use a/an? |
Examples |
Notes |
You use a/an before a countable and singular noun |
A bookA dogAn orangeAn uncleA bananaNOT:A rice |
You use “a” if the first sound is a consonant:A uniform (first letter sounds like ”you”)A catYou use “an” if the first sound is a vowel:An uncle (the first letter sounds like “a”)An apple |
When you talk about something first time |
“I see a dog on my doorstep. The dog is black and white”. |
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When you mean: any one/ one among many (a single representative of a bigger group of people/things) |
I want to rent a flat in New York. |
There are many flats in New York. |
Before a job/profession |
I am a teacher.Your dad is a police officer. |
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Before phrases of time/measurements |
I eat meat once a month.The apples are $ 2 a kilo. |
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When describing something or somebody |
Anna is a tall girl with brown hair and green eyes. |
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When your listener does not know what are you talking about |
Does she have a car? |
We don’t know what car she has. |