AN INTRODUCTION TO ENGLISH GRAMMAR & LANGUAGE
          Apples are sold at sixty rupees a kg.                                       USE OF ‘AN’
                                            ̄
                                                                   1. Vowel starting nouns or words take An before them.
                                           per
                                                                        For example,
     6. To show the whole class of common noun we can
                                                                        Siddharth is intelligent boy.              —wrong
use ‘A’ before a common noun.
                                                                        Siddharth is an intelligent boy.           —correct
          For example,
                                                                        The President made appeal for the poor. —wrong
               A bird has two wings.
                                                                        The President made an appeal for the poor.
               A monkey have a tail.
                                                                                                                   —correct
          i.e. All birds have two wings.
                                                                   2. An is used before some H starting words in which
               All monkeys have a tail.                       H is not pronunciated.
          But, common noun like Man and Woman do not                    For example,
follow the above rule.                                                  An honest man             An hour
          For example,                                                  An heir                   An honourable person
               A man is moral.                   —wrong                 An homage to the dead
               Man is moral.                    —correct           3. If H, L, M, N, F, R, S, X, are the first letters of
     7. Sometimes at the place of ‘an’ we can use article ‘A’ abbreviations, we use An before them.
          For example,                                                  For example,
               Sita was seen a bed.                                     An M.A.                   An L.L.B. Student
                               ̄                                         An F.R.C.S. girl          An N.C.C. team
                             on                                         An H.S. school            An x-ray clinic
               Kumar went a hunting.
                                                                   THE OMISSION OF INDEFINITE ARTICLES
                             ̄                                      1. Indefinite articles can not be practiced two times
                           on                                 for the same noun in the same sentence.
     8. If we put article ‘A’ before plural number the             For example,
forthcoming noun becomes singular.
                                                                        Vivekanand was a saint and a hero.         —wrong
          For example,
                                                                        Vivekanand was a saint and hero.           —correct
               A five day match.
                                                                   But,
               A ten mile walk.
                                                                        Vivekanand was both a saint and a hero.—correct
               A fifteen man committee.
                                                                        Sameer is neither a poet nor a writer. —correct
          But,
                                                                        Anand is either a poet or a singer.        —correct
               Five days match.
                                                                        Rupali is not only a philosopher but also a critic.
               Ten miles walk.
                                                                                                                   —correct
               Fifteen men committee.
                                                                   2. Indefinite article should not be used before the
     9. ‘A‘ is used before these words because they have
the sound of consonant in their first letters.                name of meals.
          For example,                                             For example,
             A university.          A union.                            Robin was present at a dinner.             —wrong
             A unique film.         A European.                         Robin was present at dinner.               —correct
             A one-rupee note.      A one-eyed person.                  But,
             A one-act play.        A one-sided decision.               It was tasteful dinner.                    —wrong
     10. If noun is placed after such, quite, rather, how               It was a tasteful dinner.                  —correct
etc., we use ‘A’ before that noun.                                      That was very nice break fast.             —wrong
          For example,                                                  That was a very nice break fast.           —correct
               I have never seen such girl in my life.             So, in the case of adjective indefinite article must be
                                                    —wrong    used.
               I have never seen such a girl in my life.           3. A or An should not be used before material noun.
                                                   —correct        For example,
               Roma is quite dull girl.          —wrong                 It is a glass so it can be broken easily. —wrong
               Roma is quite a dull girl.       —correct                          ̄
     11. If these words are used in singular, we use ‘A’                        lead
before them.                                                            It is glass so it can be broken easily.    —correct
          Noise, Lie, Hole, Headache etc.                               It is a paper you should write on it.      —wrong
          For example,                                                  It is paper you should write on it.        —correct
               The pupil makes noise in the class. —wrong          But,
               The pupil makes a noise in the class.                    Bring glass of water.                      —wrong
                                                   —correct             Bring a glass of water.                    —correct
               Joydeb always tells lie.            —wrong               I read newspaper.                          —wrong
               Joydeb always tells a lie.          —correct             I read a news paper.                       —correct
                                                          SEE–15