Indefinite Articles

Indefinite articles: A/ AN

Countable, not specific; SINGULAR

A: before consonant SOUNDS.

AN: before PURE VOWEL SOUNDS.

Pure Vowel Sounds

Other sounds (semi-vowels and consonant sounds: A)

A man and a woman were sitting opposite me. The man was American but I think the woman was British.

When we were on holiday, we stayed at a hotel. Sometimes we had our evening meal at the hotel and sometimes we went to a restaurant.

Mass Nouns (Uncountable Nouns)

I have some advice for you.

I have a piece of advice for you.

I have an item of advice for you.

I’d like some bread.

I’d like a piece of bread.

EXERCISES

71.1 Put in a/an or the.

1 This morning I bought ___ newspaper and ____ magazine. ___newspaper is in my bag but I don't know where I put ___ magazine.

2 I saw___ accident this morning.__ car crashed into__ tree. driver of ___ car wasn't hurt but__ car was badly damaged.

3 There are two cars parked outside:___ blue one and___ gray one.___ blue one belongs to my neighbors; I don't know who ___ owner of gray one is.

4 My friends live in __ old house in __ small village. There is __ beautiful garden behind ___ house. I would like to have __ garden like that.

ANSWER KEY:

1...and a magazine. The newspaper is in my bag but I don’t know where I put the magazine.

2. I saw an accident this morning. A car crashed into a tree. The driver of the car wasn’t hurt but the car was badly damaged.

3. ...a blue one and a gray one. The blue one belongs to my neighbors; I don’t know who the owner of the gray one is.

4. My friends live in an old house in a small village. There is a beautiful garden behind the house. I would like to have a garden like that.

Articles Units 68-77

26. Put in a/an or the where necessary. Leave an empty space (-) if the sentence is already complete.

1 I don't usually like staying at ...-...hotels, but last summer we spent a few days at ..a.. very nice hotel by the sea.

2 ____tennis is my favorite sport. I pIay once or twice ____ week if I can, but I'm not ___ very good player.

3 I won't be home for ___ dinner this evening. I'm meeting some friends after ___ work and we're going to ___ cinema.

4 ___unemployment is very high at the moment and it's very difficult for___ people to ___ find work.

5 There was___ accident as I was going ___ home last night. Two people were taken to ___ hospital. I think most accidents are caused by ____ people driving too fast.

6 Carol is ___ economist. She used to work in __ investment department of ___ Lloyds Bank. Now she works for __ American bank in ___ United States.

7 A: What's ___ name of ___ hotel where you're staying?

B:___ Imperial. It’s in __ Queen street in __ city center. It’s near ____ station.

8 I have two brothers. ___ older one is training to be __ pilot with British Airways. ___younger one is still at ___school. When he leaves ___school,he hopes to go to ___ university to study ___ law.

Answer key:

2. Tennis...twice a week...a very good player

3.for dinner...after work...to the cinema

4. Unemployment...for people...find work

5. an accident...going home...taken to hospital...I think most accidents...by people driving

6. an economist...in the investment department...of Lloyds Bank...for an American bank...in the United States.

7. the name of the hotel... The Imperial...in Queen Street in the city center...near the station

8. The older one...a pilot with British Airways...The younger one...at school...he leaves school...go to university...study law.

XXX