Questions tagged [indefinite-articles]
An article is a word that combines with a noun to indicate the type of reference being made by the noun.
424
questions
-2
votes
0answers
30 views
What is the difference between a and an [closed]
I have encountered a an and the in some texs what is the use of it
0
votes
1answer
48 views
“Architecture”: Countable or Uncountable
Cambridge Dictionary lists "architecture" as uncountable noun.
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/architecture
noun [ U ]
Thus, it shouldn't take indefinite article; it shouldn't ...
0
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0answers
26 views
Whether definite or indefinite article should be used in the phrase of the C++ Standard
In the C++ Standard there is the following phrase.
The enclosing namespace set of O is the set of namespaces consisting
of the innermost non-inline namespace enclosing an inline namespace O,
...
0
votes
0answers
35 views
tribute to … (the/zero article)
I was given a guitar-shaped wooden craft for my birthday, it says 'tribute to the Rock'n'Roll'. Is it correct to say it like this?
tribute to the Rock'n'Roll
tribute to the Rock'n'Roll music
tribute ...
0
votes
1answer
46 views
The usage of article 'an' in the following case [duplicate]
It is common to use
1a an historical event
2a an hotel
rather than
1b a historical event
2b a hotel
Why 'an' is used in such case?
1
vote
1answer
75 views
“played a main role” [closed]
Why is it "played a main role", not "played the main role" in the example statements below?
Before the invention of transistors vacuum tubes played a main role in electronics.
He played a main role ...
1
vote
1answer
43 views
Does 'throwback' require an indefinite article?
Should it be ‘a cheeky little throwback’ or just ‘cheeky little throwback’
Any help would be appreciated
0
votes
0answers
27 views
What's the correct articulation for abbreviated words? [duplicate]
How to articulate abbreviated words when the original word articulation conflicts the pronunciation of the word?
For example, I would say
A Facebook campaign for Donald Trump
But abbreviating ...
0
votes
0answers
18 views
“a” or “an” in MSc [duplicate]
When I was writing out a degree title, I recall the "rule"
"a" comes before a consonant
"an" comes before a vowel
but then I naturally used to say that "I have an MSc degree" just for ease of ...
0
votes
1answer
33 views
Should I use “the” in this case and why?
"Download (the) React repository".
I think "the" shouldn't be used in this case, because we already have the name of the repository.
But:
"Open React. Download the repository." - download the ...
0
votes
0answers
23 views
“what a + noun” vs “what + noun”
When should I use "what a + noun" and when just "what + noun", in case "what" acts as a determiner?
For example:
1a. What a mistake he made!
1b. What mistake he made!
2a. He realizes ...
2
votes
2answers
46 views
Usage of Indefinite Article
I am wondering whether both of the following sentences are acceptable:
(A) Only water bottles with "caps" are allowed in this area.
(B) Only water bottles with "a" cap are allowed in this area.
If ...
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votes
2answers
77 views
“I am THE weekend engineer assigned to your ticket” or “I am A weekend engineer assigned to your ticket” [closed]
I understand this question is very similar to hundreds of previously asked ones, but we still cannot come to an agreement, and maybe we'll be fighting each other soon.
Which version is correct?
"...
0
votes
1answer
58 views
Why articles being ommited sometime? [closed]
Sometime before nouns there's no definite or indefinite articles like in this sentence (before representatives and congressional districts):
The House of Representative is composed of ...
1
vote
1answer
107 views
'On behalf of' usage
I have read many sentences making use of 'on behalf of' meaning 'as a representative of'. I know behalf is a noun, so when we could use 'on the behalf of' in a sentence? I consulted many websites, but ...
35
votes
2answers
10k views
Why would “an mule” be used instead of “a mule”? [closed]
As generally agreed and as extensively discussed in this question, "an" should be used in place of the more common "a" where the following word begins with a vowel sound.
I have just encountered for ...
0
votes
1answer
34 views
“A larger” vs “larger” to describe the sample size of a study
I wrote a sentence: A study with a larger sample size is required to make more conclusive remarks.
Grammarly tells me it should be, "A study with larger sample size is required to make more ...
-1
votes
1answer
265 views
“It was an April” vs “It was in April” [closed]
"It was an April afternoon. And the warm breezes of approaching summer
had sent everyone, including Grandfather, indoors".
The above sentences are from the story 'Adventures in a Banyan Tree' by ...
0
votes
2answers
107 views
comparative adjective + a + noun
a) When can I use "comparative adjective + a + noun" and when not? When can I add "a + noun" after "comparative adjective" and when not?
b) What is the difference between "comparative adjective + a + ...
0
votes
1answer
33 views
Repetition of the indefinite article with several nouns
Now there's another question for the repetition of indefinite article with several adjectives, but my question here is rather about nouns.
Examples:
She's a manager and a shareholder.
or
She's ...
10
votes
4answers
823 views
Is it incorrect to write “I rate this book a 3 out of 4 stars?”
I was informed by a new editor that the sentence "I rate this book a 3 out of 4 stars" is incorrect. In the words of the editor - ""A" is wrongly inserted; you have already used "this" as a determiner,...
1
vote
1answer
60 views
Why does reversing the rules of “an” vs “a” make speech easier at times? [duplicate]
Background
From what I’ve learned during grade school, information which can
easily be found online,
you should use an when the following word starts with a vowel:
"An animal"
"An alien"
"An ewok"
...
2
votes
0answers
27 views
Use of articles before proper nouns of person
In a closed question to a related topic on this forum, the following was suggested as an answer:
"Another is to use a proper noun as an example of particular traits that could also be held by others (...
1
vote
2answers
69 views
Articles with Spatial Prepositions
Are both sentences correct? with and without the indefinite article (a):
She lives two minutes' walk from the station
She lives a two minutes' walk from the station
3
votes
1answer
36 views
Why there is no article before venture capital firm in “Beller’s first high-profile role was at venture capital firm Andreessen Horwitz, ..”?
Beller’s first high-profile role was at venture capital firm Andreessen Horwitz, where she was a partner on the deal team between 2013 and 2016.
Source
Does the same rule apply to the sentence above ...
1
vote
0answers
15 views
Should a sentence have a comma before the quotation when the quotation is given an indefinite article?
See the following:
I heard the man shout out a, “Good luck, lad!”
Should there be a comma after a? Thanks!
0
votes
0answers
13 views
Using “The” at the beginning of a sentence [duplicate]
Which one is better? And why?
The contracted personnel can be employed by the institution.
Contracted personnel can be employed by the institution.
2
votes
0answers
45 views
Why there is no article before “heire”? [duplicate]
The following passage is from All's Well That Ends Well:
Shee is young, wise, faire,
In these, to Nature shee's immediate heire:
And these breed honour:
According to the research I did on Cambridge ...
1
vote
1answer
25 views
Indefinite article before “format”
I need to use this word with the following meaning:
the way in which data is stored or held to be worked on by a computer
This particular dictionary doesn't say anything about whether this word is ...
1
vote
2answers
84 views
Indefinite article - are there any exceptions for proper nouns? “an Aristides” vs “Aristides”
I was going through Leviathan of Hobbes today and I think I spotted an error.
"and every Citizen bringing his Oystershell into the market place, written with the name of him he desired should be ...
0
votes
0answers
11 views
“An autonomous being” vs “autonomous being”? When to place an indefinite article? [duplicate]
He treats her as property rather than an autonomous being.
or
He treats her as property rather than autonomous being.
Which of the above sentences is correct and why?
0
votes
1answer
39 views
a/an expected completion date? [duplicate]
Question is pretty self-explanatory. Either way, a date on a calendar is a date. When it becomes unexpected, it sounds right to me to say an unexpected date instead of a unexpected date. Same for when ...
0
votes
1answer
126 views
Zero article before nouns in the commonest sense
I am interested in whether the article can be omitted in a phrase like The Ideas About a Woman in Roman Literature (as in the name of a scientific article). Is the article needed here at all, since ...
0
votes
2answers
52 views
Which article to use
1.
Enabling the 'show-copy-button' option adds the 'copy' button to the toolbar.
2.
Enabling the 'show-copy-button' option adds a 'copy' button to the toolbar.
This is just of the one examples, ...
0
votes
2answers
157 views
Do you need to specify indefinite articles in a comma separated list?
Let's say I've got an apple, a banana, and an orange.
Which of the following are ok, if any?
I've got an apple, banana, and an orange.
I've got an apple, banana, and orange.
The actual sentence I'...
0
votes
2answers
3k views
“The number of people” or "a number of people? [closed]
"The" and "A" have been genuinely giving me a lot of challenges ever since I could remember.
I am to this day struggling to figure out when to use which.
I am just now putting a sentence together ...
0
votes
0answers
24 views
“a” or “an” before MoU [duplicate]
I have a doubt regarding the rules to use article "an" before words with vowel sound.
As per the rules, we should use "an" before MoU, but I have seen "a" before it at some places.
For instance,
...
0
votes
1answer
54 views
Use of 'an hire' in legal writing [duplicate]
I received legal documents pertaining to hiring in which every use of the word 'hire' was proceded by the indefinite article 'an'. Example:
An hire takes place once...
Is this correct or ...
0
votes
3answers
95 views
Definite or indefinite article when describing a historical person
According to this question:
Definite and indefinite articles when introducing a person
one can use a definite, indefinite or no article at all when introducing a particular person. Which option is the ...
1
vote
2answers
59 views
Articles and Prepositions: “At/The mountain of…” and “…descended in/on her head” [closed]
The/A mountain of family responsibilities had already descended
in/on her head.
According to me, it is in her head.
But I am not 100% sure about the answer because in the net various answers are ...
3
votes
2answers
95 views
Placing an article before or after an adjective [duplicate]
Why does the article change positions in the following?
such a good person
so good a person
Haven't been able to answer my student's question on this one, and if you change the adjectives to "very ...
-2
votes
2answers
56 views
Indefinite Article before a government institution [closed]
A Delhi court today ordered attachment of properties of businessman Vijay Mallya, who was declared a proclaimed offender for evading summons in a money laundering case related to FERA violation.
-1
votes
3answers
72 views
“go to the store/bank” or “go to a store/bank”
I've searched all the internet, but mostly the explanation was so different from one another that i couldn't come up with one conclusion.
I know in some cases, articles are not needed between 'to' ...
1
vote
3answers
92 views
“Small talk” or “a small talk”?
I am not sure if the following sentence is correct:
I do not like a small talk.
Should it be “a small talk” or “small talk”?
5
votes
4answers
533 views
Using “woman” without article: “I am woman”
I heard the lyrics of a song by Helen Reddy:
I am woman, hear me roar
In numbers too big to ignore
[…]
I am woman watch me grow
See me standing toe to toe
As I spread my lovin' arms ...
-1
votes
1answer
39 views
Why is the article used in “downloading a scammer's files”? [closed]
Is there a rule about such cases? I just can not understand.
Downloading a scammer's files.
The name of the video from YouTube.
0
votes
1answer
23 views
About the usage of “an” in this context
To believe a person is not necessarily to treat him as an original
authority. He is an original authority on what he himself has done
and seen and heard: I say an original authority because I only ...
1
vote
1answer
53 views
Pass me the almond cookie V/s Pass me an almond cookie
Sentence:Pass me the almond cookie.
Why does this sentence not framed like -"Pass me an almond cookie"
IS it because the person wants "the almond cookie" out of all other cookies. Because the ...
1
vote
1answer
7k views
“You are legend” or “You are a legend” Which one is correct or are they both correct? [closed]
Which of the above is correct or are they both correct?
You are LEGEND my friend.
You are 'a' LEGEND my friend.
He is legend.
He is 'a' legend.
0
votes
1answer
105 views
The collective noun 'duck' [closed]
I know that collective nouns don't take the indefinite article as the one in the following construction:
They had 'duck' for lunch.
But is it Ok if we use it In the same construction, especially, ...
