Questions tagged [indefinite-article]
An article is a word that combines with a noun to indicate the type of reference being made by the noun.
657
questions
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1answer
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definite or indefinite article for new term that described in other paper?
When we present a term for the first time with reference to another article, should we use definite or indefinite article? (without reference, we should use indefinite article)
Example (The Hilbert's ...
0
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1answer
37 views
Is "a current" ever grammatical?
As I understand it, the indefinite article "a" cannot be used before the word "current". "A current ..." doesn't make sense to me. We say "the next" and "...
1
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1answer
16 views
Use of articles in the description of an experiment
I am struggling a bit with the sentence describing the experiment we conducted:
The tensile tests were performed at the XX strain rate for the sample with the XX mm gauge part.
There are particular ...
0
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1answer
30 views
What should I use here 'A' or 'The'?
A red car stopped by a Highway Patrol Officer was speeding.
A joke told at the beginning of his speech made everyone laugh.
'stopped by a Highway patrol officer' and 'told at the beginning of his ...
0
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1answer
34 views
How important/required is to explicitly state the article "a" in front of a noun?
I wrote the following.
How should I approach the design of such a class?
I got corrected by another user to this.
How should I approach the design of such class?
While colloquially acceptable, I'm ...
2
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1answer
116 views
I don't like a dog who barks - "I don't like barking dogs in general" or "There is a dog that barks who I don't like"?
I wonder whether the following examples can have two meanings:
talking about something in general
talking about a specific something.
Do you guys agree?
Example 1:
I don't like a dog.
I think it ...
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2answers
28 views
When do we use the indifinte article "a" with abstract nouns? [closed]
Why we used the indifinte article "a" in this sentence ??
"Fear is a universal weakness"
0
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1answer
36 views
Difference between 'have lunch' and 'have a lunch'? [duplicate]
Let's go have a lunch.
Let's go have lunch.
Is there a difference between these two sentences in terms of what they imply?
Can "have lunch" and "have a lunch" be used ...
0
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2answers
22 views
A question about the common noun
I wonder if the following sentence is missing something, isn't it?
"It's a long journey from tea leaf to cup of tea."
Shouldn't it be added an indefinite article or something before "...
2
votes
2answers
969 views
Indefinite article with the word "meal"
Do I need an indefinite article in the following sentence?
I wouldn't call it a healthful meal
And if I do, could I still drop it?
Will it sound terribly awkward if I drop it?
0
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1answer
16 views
An article with a title of a company / brand / project before a common noun
Would you put an article before a proper noun / a title that precedes a common noun when speaking about brands, firms, et cetera? For example:
[A/The] Formula One staff responds to fans' questions.
[...
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1answer
51 views
Doesn’t “a” need to mean “one”?
Can I say “I ate a hamburger” when I ate half of a hamburger?
We say “we drink water” even when we drink some of water.
Is it obligatory that “I ate a hamburger” means “I ate one hamburger”?
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6answers
3k views
Per American pronunciation, "a ear" or "an ear"?
I just watched YEAR vs. EAR - American English Pronunciation (EAR vs. HEAR), and I hear absolutely no difference between the pronunciations of "ear" and "year", given we should use ...
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0answers
16 views
Article usage before 'state'
What indefinite article is used before 'state'?
For instance,
The packaging is in a good state/ The packaging is in good state.
I'm in a fine state/ I'm in fine state.
Both the terms are used ...
1
vote
1answer
29 views
Is an article missing in "courage is resistance to fear"?
I came across a quote by Mark Twain. To me, it looks like an article is missing in it. Is the quote correct, if so why?
"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear-not absence of fear."
...
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0answers
25 views
what's the difference between 'a/an' and 'the' when talking about a particular type with them?
I am learning the use of 'a/an' and 'the'. From my understanding, one can use 'a/an' or 'the' to talk about a type, like these examples:
A dog is an animal.
I can play the piano.
I are not sure ...
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2answers
40 views
When do we use the article 'the'? [closed]
We use the article 'the' before the noun, which is made definite by the addition of the phrase or a clause. But:
We have a small house in a village in the Netherlands.
Why is there 'a small house' ...
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1answer
23 views
"The network with a stronger connection" or "the network with the stronger connection" in context? [duplicate]
Could you tell me which article, a or the I use before stronger connection in the context below?
Usually your phone prioritizes the network with a/the stronger connection.
I can't figure out the ...
14
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6answers
3k views
Is it "the" or "a" in “The life of __ peasant”?
The example is taken from a book (a peasant):
The life of a peasant in the Middle Ages was hard.
Why not the peasant?
The life of the peasant in the Middle Ages was hard.
2
votes
3answers
49 views
Why the word “a” can be used here?
Fairtrade coffee sales ranged from 0.8-3 million euros over a 6-year period in these five countries, whereas banana sales also mostly clustered between 0.6 and 2 million euros, with Switzerland the ...
0
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1answer
22 views
The main or a main
I think the sentence "we have reached a main result of ..." is perfectly OK. But the grammar check says it should be "the main" instead. I wonder which one is correct.
0
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0answers
20 views
This is a/the story of a little girl [duplicate]
What's the difference between "a" and "the" in the following sentence?
This is a/the story of a little girl in a wheelchair called Susan who laughs, sings, flies and swings – just ...
0
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1answer
35 views
"looking for the accessible text of the novel" vs. "looking for an accessible text of the novel"
I've come to think today whether the use of the definite article in the context of the
following post is correct:
Having trouble understanding Pride and Prejudice? Being visually impaired, are you ...
0
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1answer
24 views
"showed positive reaction" or "showed a positive reaction" for repetitive times
Do I need to use the indefinite article in the sentence below or can I omit it?
In general, she showed a very positive reaction to any developments in
the lessons throughout this year.
I guess I ...
1
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0answers
62 views
Grammar behind "a length of 2 meters"
I believe that
The length of [something] is 2 meters.
is basically equivalent to
[Something] has a length of 2 meters.
where the following is invalid:
[Something] has the length of 2 meters.
I'm ...
0
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1answer
20 views
Selling a copy of the original as original is called "fraud" (idiomatic?)
Selling a copy of the original as original is called "fraud"
idiomatic or do we need the indefinite article "a" before fraud like "a fraud"?
1
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0answers
19 views
What's the difference in meaning between these two sentences?
• We'll taste the dishes of different restaurants there.
• We'll taste dishes of different restaurants there.
Are they both grammatically correct? And if they are, what's the difference in meaning ...
0
votes
1answer
24 views
Indefinite article before plurals
I have came across such sentence:
By now, Queen Elizabeth II has been on the throne for an astounding 67 years.
Why do we use "an" here, even though 67 years is plural?
0
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2answers
22 views
Twinge of (a) thought
I didn't pay attention to that twinge of (a) thought of losing what I hadn't lost yet.
Should there be an article in this phrase?
0
votes
1answer
40 views
Which article to use before a noun that is being repeated in a sentence?
Should I use a definite or indefinite article before a noun that is being repeated in a sentence?
For example, should I use "the" or "a" in the following sentence before the second ...
1
vote
2answers
146 views
Is it 'an hotel' or 'a hotel' [duplicate]
In a book I saw this statement.
Before words beginning with h and not accented on the first syllable, an is often used ; as,
An historical , an hotel.
I want to know whether h in hotel is ...
0
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1answer
55 views
What does it mean when I say "She is always early for work on a Monday"?
What does it indicate when we use an indefinite article before Monday or any other day?
0
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1answer
26 views
"This company makes quality product" - how to explain correctly why there is no "a" before "product"?
The question is in the title - I know that "product" here serves as a plural, but it's hard to google how this situation is called in linguistics, and if there are any formal rules that ...
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1answer
48 views
Use of indefinite article with non countable nouns [closed]
As per the article rule, we should not use an indefinite article before the non countable nouns.
But following are the examples of the indefinite articles with non countable nouns.
Day 3 has been a ...
2
votes
1answer
69 views
Two meanings of the indefinite article
Why do people say "How to use an iron" meaning any iron? Doesn't it mean that there is one iron and you ask how to use it and that because we can't say "I love a cat" because it ...
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1answer
45 views
One of my favourite flowers is tulips/a tulip/the tulip/tulip
Which one is correct?
One of my favourite flowers is tulips/a tulip/the tulip/tulip
1
vote
2answers
44 views
bit vs a bit, which one to use when?
I've got a slight confusion while using them.
I believe "a bit" is used in the case when we are thinking from an "a little" perspective.
ex- he is a bit too late.
When shall we use ...
0
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0answers
31 views
pronunciation of article 'a' in phrases vs. in sentences [duplicate]
One of my teacher corrected me when I read the article 'a' as /ey/ in a phrase. And he said it should be /uh/.
A banana (/uh/)
I know that both are acceptable /ey/ and /uh/, but is there really a ...
0
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1answer
42 views
"They were a powerful people"
I'm reading The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame and there's the following phrase: "They were a powerful people, and rich, and great builders."
However, I've googled a rule: Plural ...
1
vote
1answer
38 views
What article should I use before the noun "handstand"?
What article(s) should I use before the noun "handstand"?
I read several example sentences with this word and found different options to choose from. I would like to know if they are all ...
0
votes
1answer
26 views
An indefinite article with proper noun
Review: Nest Hub (2nd gen) sleep tracking ushers in a radically more pervasive Google Assistant
It's the review title of this media. Why is there an indefinite article 'a'? Because Google Assistant ...
2
votes
1answer
54 views
into "a" or "the" wall?
As soon as Tom stepped into the room, Pete shoved him against a/the wall.
In writing would native speakers be more inclined to use the definite article here even though we don't know which of the ...
8
votes
3answers
4k views
Should I say "sent by post" or "sent by a post"?
Should I use article "a" in this sentence?
Has anyone sent documents by post
or
Has anyone sent documents by a post?
2
votes
0answers
76 views
"The fog rolled in" vs. "a fog rolled in"
Could you tell me the difference between the fog rolled in and a fog rolled in? For example:
The fog rolled in and we couldn't see anything on the highway.
A fog rolled in and we couldn't see ...
0
votes
1answer
32 views
Indefinite article with non-count noun
Can anybody explain to me the use of the indefinite article in the following sentences:
She had a great zest for life.
The danger of being caught added a certain zest to the affair.
"Zest" ...
2
votes
3answers
80 views
The building was destroyed by (a) fire
The building was destroyed by a fire.
The building was destroyed by fire.
I have almost always used “fire” as an uncountable noun.
What’s the difference between the two sentences? Which example is a ...
0
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0answers
23 views
The most popular means of transport is the car/a car - which article?
Which article is correct in this sentence?
The most popular means of transport is the car/a car
As far as I understand, when we mean the invention itself in general, we use 'the', but 'a' implies ...
0
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2answers
37 views
What's the difference between a/an and the?
For example:
"I sent a report about a wrong item."
VS.
"I sent a report about the wrong item."
I'm confused. Thank you in advance.
3
votes
2answers
142 views
What articles and when do I use with the phrase "past tense"?
Let's take a couple of quotes from the Wikipedia article:
The past tense is a grammatical tense whose function is to place an action or situation in past time.
In some languages, the grammatical ...
0
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1answer
40 views
Why do we use an indefinite article in the sentence "I can't imagine a world without electricity"?
As far as I understand, it speaks specifically about our entire planet, and not about some abstract world. Isn't it better to use the definite article in this case?
