An article is a word that combines with a noun to indicate the type of reference being made by the noun.
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55 views
When to use “a” vs “an” [duplicate]
I know the general rule is to use "a" if the word following starts with a consonant, and "an" if it starts with a vowel. I found this page that lists some exceptions: ...
3
votes
3answers
56 views
Use of the definite article “the” before “church”
I was in a Teacher's selection for a school in my country, and one of the coordinators said that she heard a mistake from another teacher that was unacceptable. I tried to figure out why was that, but ...
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0answers
64 views
“An A and B” vs. “an A and a B” [closed]
Which one is correct if both A and B are singular — "an A and B" or "an A and a B"?
I am confused because I have seen both cases.
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1answer
128 views
“I am puzzled by conflicting opinion on [a] coffee.”
I am puzzled by conflicting opinion on a coffee.
I am puzzled by conflicting opinion on coffee.
These sentences are from a syllabus book. And I don't know which one is correct.
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2answers
119 views
“He feared a U.S. invasion” vs. “He feared U.S. invasion”
It it accurate to say this?
He feared a U.S. invasion.
Or should I say,
He feared U.S. invasion.
I'm trying to figure out when to place "a" in front of the U.S. when U.S. comes with a noun ...
4
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2answers
86 views
Indefinite article before symbols
The choice of "a" versus "an" depends on the pronunciation of the following word. Mathematical writing may use symbols as nouns or adjectives, and their pronunciation is not always clear. Here is a ...
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2answers
117 views
Correct usage of indefinite articles 'a' and 'an' infront of acronyms [duplicate]
I wonder what is the correct usage, my assumption is that it is based on how you pronounce it, like for example:
an SQL query => pronounced an ess cue ell query ,
an XP OS => pronounced an ex pee oh ...
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0answers
137 views
Guide to English Articles [closed]
I'm looking for a full and complete guide to English articles like THE, A, AN, (none).
Can anyone recommend me something like that? I'd like to finally learn this and never make a mistake again. ...
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2answers
161 views
on the bus, in the car etc. vs. on a bus, in a car etc
I realize a lot of questions have been asked about buses here. While the thing with the preposition usage was resolved for me a long time ago, the usage of the articles is still confusing me.
For ...
2
votes
5answers
227 views
Indefinite article and people's names
Sometimes, on the internet, particularly in online games, I see people using the indefinite article before someone's name: "I see a Joey" or "I hug a Polly". I know some of these people and I'm ...
4
votes
5answers
96 views
Room Temperature: Article “A” or Not?
Below, “room temperature” takes the article “a” in one case but not the other. “Temperature” seems like a countable noun, so why no article in the first case? What is the grammar that is working here? ...
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1answer
74 views
“Is there a best X?” — why “a” if it's the superlative degree?
Which of the following is grammatical?
Is there a best school?
Is there the best school?
I'm sure that the first one is right. But why?
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4answers
832 views
Why did Obama use “a” in “… to hear a King proclaim that …”
From Obama's second inaugural speech:
We, the people, declare today that the most evident of truths – that all of us are created equal – is the star that guides us still; just as it guided our ...
6
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2answers
254 views
Why is “a” necessary before “Mr. X” and “Mrs. Y”?
There is the following sentence in the scene a reputed lawyer, Thomas Cohen gives advice to 16-year old client William Kane, the son of deceased bank owner on the issue of inheritance of his father’s ...
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1answer
108 views
“Seems like an overkill” vs. “seems like overkill” [closed]
I’m wondering if an article is used with the word overkill:
Something seems like an overkill (to me).
Something seems like overkill (to me).
Which is grammatical?
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2answers
104 views
“This is a song by Lady Gaga” or “this is the song by Lady Gaga”? [closed]
Which article is appropriate in the blank below, a or the?
— What are you singing? I've heard the song many times.
— This is __ song by Lady Gaga.
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1answer
131 views
“In a book store near my school” vs. “in the book store near my school” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Are there any simple rules for article usage (“a” vs “the” vs none)
Which article should I use in the following situations?
There is only one book store near my ...
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1answer
261 views
When using “an” before a vowel sounds wrong [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
When should I use “a” vs “an”?
Do you use “a” or “an” before acronyms?
Consider the following sentence:
"This is a one-time deal" sounds right
"This is an one-time ...
8
votes
2answers
427 views
Usage of English definite article when referring to generic word
My mother language does not have articles, so I still struggle to choose when to use the indefinte and definite article. The other day, I learned:
"The dog is an animal" is acceptable.
"The iron is ...
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0answers
37 views
“a” vs. “an” when the following word is in a bracket [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
“A/An” preceding a parenthetical statement
Let's say I send a text to someone saying:
Can you get me a coffee?
Over here, I use a as the following word doesn't ...
-1
votes
3answers
199 views
What article should be used in such sentences?
What article should be used in the following sentence?
He was English by [a/the/] blood.
I feel there should be a zero article here, but I was taught that the zero article is impossible in ...
1
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2answers
96 views
Is “a” mandatory in “I'm a whole new (Name)”?
Let's say, your name is Kate and you say "I'm a whole new Kate!"
Now, can you drop "a" and say "I'm whole new Kate!"?
Or is it mandatory to keep it?
7
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1answer
181 views
“You're too clever a man”
You're too clever a man to imagine this.
The above sentence was said by George Galloway, a man of excellent rhetorical skills.
Since he said it, I doubt it's wrong, grammatically. But, I wonder ...
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5answers
344 views
“Is of the view that” vs. “is of a view that” [closed]
Is there any significant difference in the meanings of sentence 1 and sentence 2 below?
Mr. Jones is of a view that the project is unnecessary.
Mr. Jones is of the view that the project is ...
5
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3answers
205 views
Why is it “A president,” not “The president” in the sentence, “Voters re-elected a president who promised to fight for …”?
The New York Times article (November 9) titled, “The Fiscal Cliff Opener” begins with the following sentence.
“On Tuesday, voters re-elected a president who promised to fight
for higher taxes on ...
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2answers
95 views
Negatives with “a” or “any”
Are both these sentences correct?
There isn’t a cat in the kitchen.
There isn’t any cat in the kitchen.
4
votes
3answers
155 views
“A different one” when we have 3 objects - other/another? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Can “another” be used with plural nouns provided periods or measurements don’t count?
Here is the context (found in a forum for learners of English)
WAITRESS: Do you ...
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0answers
32 views
Indefinite article for words starting with “E” An/A Ensemble [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
When should I use “a” vs “an”?
which article should be used with the words which start with the letter "E" such as "Ensemble" ?
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1answer
421 views
Repetition of articles in a sentence
The following sentences use more than one adjective for a single noun.
She has a black and white cat.
It implies that the person involved here has only one cat which is black and white coloured.
...
1
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2answers
137 views
“White” vs. “a white” vs. “a white person”
Should I say that "Will is white" or "Will is a white" or "Will is a white person" to refer to his race?
Also, is it considered acceptable to say someone is black or white in a college paper?
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6answers
275 views
“Suffer from a headache” vs. “suffer from the headache” [closed]
I am not sure which article to use in the following context:
She has been suffering from a headache.
She has been suffering from the headache.
Please clear up my doubt.
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2answers
122 views
Why the indefinite article in “have a good time”?
Why do we use the indefinite article in the expression "have a good time"?
Time is an uncountable noun, and we never say "what a beautiful weather!", but "what beautiful weather it is!"
Could ...
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0answers
17 views
”An SDET” or ”A SDET”? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Is it “a SSD” or “an SSD”?
Do you use “a” or “an” before acronyms?
What is the correct form of the article for the SDET (Software Development ...
4
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1answer
514 views
Everyone Else's Lives
It would seem as though this is incorrect, since we each only have one life. Is my intuition correct that it should be everyone else's life and not everyone else's lives?
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2answers
576 views
“Go on excursion” vs. “go on an excursion” [closed]
Is it grammatical to say, "The class is going on excursion"? My thought is that it would be preferable to say "The class is going on an excursion".
My colleague thinks that the first sentence is ...
1
vote
3answers
146 views
“a href ” or “an href ” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Is it supposed to be a HTML or an HTML
When should I use “a” versus “an” in front of a word beginning with the letter h?
How does one correctly pronounce the letter 'H': ...
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0answers
34 views
'a faq' or 'an faq'? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Do you use “a” or “an” before acronyms?
Reading an answer's observation and associated comments, I am curious which form is preferred and why, or ...
1
vote
2answers
653 views
“It is bad practice …” vs. “It is a bad practice …”
"At work, it is bad practice to go to lunch early."
"At work, it is a bad practice to go to lunch early."
The noun "practice" is both countable and uncountable. So, could both sentences be ...
-5
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0answers
166 views
What indefinite article (“a” or “an”) should be used before “x” [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Does one use 'a' or 'an' before the word X-Ray?
I understand that the decision between "a" and "an" is generally based on what vowel sound the following ...
2
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2answers
986 views
“A hundred percent” vs. “hundred percent”
Which sentence is grammatically correct:
I'm a hundred percent sure
I'm hundred percent sure
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
3
votes
1answer
113 views
“Professor of entomology” or “a professor of entomology”
Which is correct?
This is Dr. Yang Jeng-Tze, professor of entomology.
This is Dr. Yang Jeng-Tze, a professor of entomology.
6
votes
3answers
687 views
a cold vs flu / the flu
Have you got a cold?
Have you got flu?
Have you got the flu?
Why can't we say a flu or the cold in the previous examples?
7
votes
2answers
455 views
Are there specific rules to build expressions with or without articles?
In English, there are lots of expressions built using articles like:
at the station
to the cinema
play the piano
have breakfast (no article)
take a bath
take a shower
Are there specific rules or ...
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1answer
120 views
Article or no article: “at the price of a higher workload”?
The finer points (the infamous 10%?) of when to use indefinite articles still manage to elude me sometimes. Does the article "a" belong in the following sentence or not?
However, [foo] yields ...
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0answers
25 views
Using `an` before consonants [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Why shouldn't we say “an user”?
I've personally seen the indefinite article an coming before consonants in many places whereas I think that should be a ...
3
votes
2answers
283 views
Phrasing of “What knowledge is required [at/in] [a] university?”
In British English, how should I properly write a sentence like
What knowledge is required at university?
Basically, I want to ask what knowledge is required for study at a university or in a ...
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2answers
633 views
When to use inverted word-order like “great an option”? [closed]
I heard this in a movie yesterday:
That is great an option!
Why didn't he say:
That is a great option!
How does grammar desribe such inverted phrases? Where should I use this inverted ...
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votes
1answer
1k views
The <noun> of <noun>
I wonder about the the <noun> of <noun> template. For example, the customers of a movie theater or the possessor of a car. The question is "Is it a stable rule in English to put "the" ...
1
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0answers
61 views
How to properly use brackets and articles when the article is changed by the bracketed word? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
“A/An” preceding a parenthetical statement
I was just posting a question on another Stack Exchange website. And I ran into the following sentence:
How do ...
3
votes
1answer
240 views
Origin of distinction between “one” and “a/an”?
So I was told that the English articles "a" and "an" have Germanic origins. In German, there is not a distinction between "one" and "a/an". Is there any explanation for the existence of these two ...
