The use of the indefinite articles a/an

The indefinite article a/an is the normal, neutral and most typical way of referring to a single example of something, to one member of a class of things. It is also used to refer to a thing for the first time.

A/An is used:

1. To refer to a group of people, animals or things: We could call it a sort of romance between just a man and a woman. A dolphin lives in the sea.

NOTE: In this case the article has the meaning any or every.

1) in classification by means of descriptive labels:

a) origins: He is a Frenchman.

b) occupation: I'm an architect.

c) religion: She's a Catholic.

d) politics: He is a Socialist.

NOTE: Adjectival equivalents (where they exist) can be used in place of nouns for all the above examples except occupation: He's American / Catholic /Socialist.

2) with any kind of typical characterization: You are an angel/ a saint / a beauty/ a chatter-box/ a lunatic.

3) with nouns in apposition to state that the object expressed by the noun in apposition belongs to a certain class: I'd like to introduce you to Mr Smith, a great friend of mine.

4) with pairs of nouns which are considered to accompany each other naturally: a cup and saucer; a hat and coat. It's cold outside, take a hat and coat with you.

NOTE: Take a hat and a camera when you go on holiday ( here a hat and a camera do not form a pair.)

2. With nouns in certain syntactical positions:

1) with nouns modified by:

a) a descriptive attribute: I spent a sleepless night. It was a cold spring. We left the place after a hearty breakfast.

b) a descriptive infinitive: I made an attempt to smile.

2) with a noun followed by a qualifier, such as a prepositional phrase or a relative clause: The information was contained in an article on biology. I chose a picture that reminded me of my own country.

3. 1) To preserve its old original meaning of one: A stitch in time saves nine. In some languages, one and a/an are the same. In English a/an is more common. One is only used:

a) when we want to be particularly emphatic or dramatic, meaning " no more than one":. He's got one son. (not two or three);

b) when we are explicitly contrasting numbers, e.g. two kilos of flour and one litre of water; She's got one Rolls-Royce and two Cadillacs or in technical mathematical contexts;

c) when we want to highlight something or someone in a report or story, and make them an important topic we are going to talk about. The expressions like One day... and One morning... are familiar openings to important events in stories.

2) with uncountable nouns to mean one: There is a hair in my soup.

4. With abstract nouns:

1) with abstract nouns used in a particular sense: a love of music, a love of nature.

2) with some abstract nouns like regret, comfort, pity, horror, shame, relief, wonder, etc.: It's a pity/relief/ shame/ wonder/ horror, etc

3) with abstract nouns to denote a certain kind of a quality, feeling, state, etc., which are modified by a descriptive attribute or an attributive clause: We saw an eagerness in her eyes, which could hardly be forgotten.

5. With numerals:

1) with numerals hundred, thousand, million to mean one and the nouns that refer to whole numbers, fractions, money, weights or measures, time: A week has passed. The case weighs a hundred pounds. We go there twice a fortnight.

NOTE: In measuring per can replace a/an: He was paid $30 a/per day.

2) with ordinal numerals meaning one more or another: He must have a third attempt.

3) with the nouns period, population, distance, height, salary, etc followed by of + numeral + noun: She was working for a period of ten days. So far we have covered a distance of thirty miles.

4) with some expressions of quantity: a pair of, a little, a couple of, a few; three times a day; forty miles an hour; He bought a pair of shoes.

6. In exclamations with What + a countable noun: What an idea! What a lovely day! What a beautiful sight!

7. After half, many, quite, such, rather: There was half a cup of coffee left. He spent many a lonely day there. She is quite a child.

NOTE: A or an either precedes or follows rather: Seaford is rather a pleasant town. He told me a rather long story.

8. To follow the attribute expressed by an adjective after as, how, so, too: It was as black a house inside as outside. She is too a good woman for him.

9. With uncountable nouns to express the meaning 'a type of' or 'a portion of': a gin, an ice-cream, a soup.

10. With some illnesses: a cold, a headache, a sore throat, a weak heart, a broken leg.

NOTE: A is optional in the expressions like catch (a) cold, have (a) backache/ stomach-ache/ toothache/ earache, e.g.: I'm afraid the baby's got (a) cold. I've had (a) toothache all night.

The use of the ZERO ARTICLE (no article)

No article is used for general, open-ended reference to any or all members of a class.

Articles are not used with:

1) plural countable nouns: They packed goods in bags. These can be modified by adjectives or other phrases: people throughout the country, local museums, world nations.

2) uncountable nouns (always singular):

a) abstract: Knowledge is power.

b) colours: Yellow seems to be very warm.

c) food and drink: I like cheese. Lemonade has too much sugar in it.

d) substances / materials: The house is made of stone. Water boils at 100°C.

e) activities: Reading is a real pleasure.

f) sports/ games: Millions of fans all over the world enjoy watching hockey.

g) politics/philosophy: Feudalism is a political and economic system of Medieval Europe. Positivism claims that sciences are the only source of true knowledge.

h) languages: English, German, Chinese; but: the English language.

i) academic subjects and related topics: He is good at literature. But: We study the literature of the 20^th century; with adjectival combinations: Renaissance Art, Medieval Theatre, Ancient philosophy.

3) names of days, months, seasons and holidays: She'll come on Wednesday. I'm going on business in spring. June is the loveliest summer month. Easter is my favourite holiday. Butin the expressions in (the) summer/ autumn/ winter/ spring the can be used.

4) names of meals: breakfast, lunch, tea, dinner, supper. They sat down to tea. Breakfast begins at 8 o'clock. But: The lunch we ate in that bar was modest (the meal is specified). She gave us a very nice dinner. (the meal is classified)

5) names of places at home, in bed, at work, in hospital, at college, in prison, in church when we refer to their " primary purpose", that is the activity associated with them: She is taken to hospital. (to be treated) He was sent to prison (to serve the term of punishment).

NOTE: to be in the bed = an article of furniture is meant;

to go to the prison = the building is meant;

to leave the college = to leave the building;

The workmen went to the church to repair the roof (They didn't go to a religious service.)

6) transport: by air, by car, by plane, by train, by tube, on foot, etc.: Travelling by air is very convenient.

7) names of illnesses: bronchitis, pneumonia, quinsy, malaria, etc.But: the can be used with some common infectious diseases: (the) flu, (the) measles, (the) mumps.

8) " pairs" joined by and: day and night, father and son, husband and wife, light and dark, young and old, son and moon: She couldn't stop thinking about it day and night.

9) an uncountable noun or a plural countable after what and such: What lovely weather! What chatter-boxes you are! They were such idlers! Such love can only be seen in films.

10) the words television or TV when we refer to the medium itself or programmes: Sally played small parts on television. But: Will you turn down the TV? (the TV set is referred to).

11) the words radio, cinema, movies, opera, ballet, theatre when we refer to them in very general terms as art forms or as professions: Television is one of the greatest inventions of the post-Second World War time. Amateur theatre was actually the first step in his artistic career

NOTE: When we are going to enjoy a form of entertainment we use the definite article: Why not go to the movies for a change? Last Sunday I went to the opera with my son and we had an enjoyable night.

There are many instances in everyday life when both articles are deliberately omitted to save space, time and money. This is usually done in newspaper headlines, small advertisements, instructions, shopping lists, labels, some dictionary definitions and notices: Bomb Explosion Accident (newspaper headline); " Compact residence in select suburb; 3 bed.(bedrooms), 2 recept. (reception rooms), kitchen and bathroom, garage space, nice garden" (advertisement); Cut along dotted line (instruction).