Sometimes an article modifies a noun that is also modified by an adjective. This holds true for acronyms and initialisms too: an LCD display, a UK-based company, an HR department, a URL. Incorrect: She is an United States senator. Similarly, when the first letter of a word is a vowel but is pronounced with a consonant sound, use a, as in the sample sentence below: Consider the example sentence below for an illustration of this concept. Despite its spelling, the word honor begins with a vowel sound. The first letter of the word honor, for example, is a consonant, but it’s unpronounced. This can be tricky because some words that start with consonants don’t start with a consonant sound the same is true of some words that start with vowels. Please hand me an autobiography any autobiography will do.Īs mentioned, the rule is to use a before words that start with a consonant sound and an before words that begin with a vowel sound.Please hand me a book any book will do.Consider the following examples of indefinite articles used in context: The indefinite article appears only with singular nouns. ![]() Your friend probably doesn’t even have any pie yet. Again, the indefinite article indicates that she is not talking about a particular apple pie. “I am going to bring an apple pie,” your friend tells you. The indefinite article indicates that a noun refers to a general idea or category of a thing rather than a specific thing.įor example, you might ask your friend, “Should I bring a gift to the party?” Your friend will understand that you are not asking about a specific type of gift or a specific item. It’s the word an when it precedes a word that begins with a vowel sound. It’s the word a when it precedes a word that begins with a consonant sound.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |