a
indefinite article /ə/, strong form /eɪ/
/ə/, strong form /eɪ/
(also an
The form a is used before consonant sounds and the form an before vowel sounds. When saying abbreviations like ‘FM’ or ‘UN’, use a or an according to how the first letter is said. For example, F is a consonant, but begins with the sound /e/ and so you say: an FM radio . U is a vowel but begins with /j/ and so you say: a UN declaration . /ən/, strong form /æn/
/ən/, strong form /æn/
)- used before countable or singular nouns referring to people or things that have not already been mentioned
- a man/horse/unit
- an aunt/egg/hour/X-ray
- I can only carry two at a time.
- There's a visitor for you.
- She's a friend of my father's (= one of my father's friends).
- used to show that somebody/something is a member of a group or profession
- Their new car's a BMW.
- She's a Buddhist.
- He's a teacher.
- Is that a Monet (= a painting by Monet)?
- any; every
- A lion is a dangerous animal.
- used before uncountable nouns when these have an adjective in front of them, or phrase following them
- a good knowledge of French
- a sadness that won’t go away
- used in front of two nouns that are seen as a single unit
- a knife and fork
- used instead of one before some numbers
- A thousand people were there.
- used when talking about prices, quantities and rates synonym per
- They cost 50p a kilo.
- I can type 50 words a minute.
- He was driving at 50 miles an hour.
- a person like somebody
- She's a little Hitler.
- used before somebody’s name to show that the speaker does not know the person
- There's a Mrs Green to see you.
- used before the names of days of the week to talk about one particular day
- She died on a Tuesday.
Word OriginMiddle English: weak form of Old English ān ‘one’.