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.
483
questions
2
votes
1answer
21 views
'high blood pressure' vs 'a high blood pressure'
What is the difference between these two sentences:
I have high blood pressure.
and
I have a high blood pressure.
I can only guess that the first one mean that I have high blood pressure all ...
1
vote
1answer
23 views
what's the role of indefinite article in this phrase : he went into a rage!
what the role of indefinite article in this phrase :
He went into a rage!
The indefinite article doesn't make sense here what if we eliminate it from the sentence?
edit:
it doesn't make sense to ...
0
votes
1answer
13 views
“Toutmai started the second officer's job at..” vs “Toutmai started a second officer's job at”
In 2011, she joined the XYZ Institute as a navigation officer. After
over two years in the institute, in November 2013, Toutmai started the
second officer's job at Siren for Fleet Ship Management.
...
16
votes
4answers
3k views
“I am [the / an] owner of a bookstore”?
I'm drafting a letter of invitation for someone. And one sentence goes: "I am [the / an] owner of a bookstore" - which article shall I use?
0
votes
1answer
22 views
Confusion in placing Articles a and an before nouns
When I was a kid I was taught that Article An should be placed before nouns starting with a Vowel letter, but now i got to know that it's actually the sound of vowel we should focus not the letter.
...
0
votes
1answer
25 views
Difference between “a”, “one” and “some”
A bus passes my house every hour.
One bus passes my house every hour.
Some bus passes my house every hour.
Buses pass my house every hour.
Some buses pass my house every hour.
What is the ...
1
vote
1answer
27 views
Shall I use “an” before “impact”?
Some uncountable words like the word value should not be preceded with article. I am not sure about impact.
It has impact on the existing approaches.
or
It has an impact on the existing ...
0
votes
0answers
21 views
Using 'a,' 'an,' or 'the' with 'price' and 'discount'
I am confused when to use the correct articles. For example, in an email:
Dear Journal of Business News,
I have received the information about subscribing to your journal. I have a few ...
1
vote
1answer
31 views
“To treat someone as property” or “to treat someone as a property”?
"He treats his dog as property."
or
"He treats his dog as a property."
I suspect that the former is correct, is it?
0
votes
1answer
17 views
The use of the indefinite article with uncountable nouns after the phrase “more of”
I came across it in this article.
Chloe Foster, a clinical psychologist at the Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma in London, says shyness in itself is quite common and normal and doesn’t cause ...
3
votes
2answers
51 views
Why not say ‘in a pencil’, but say ‘in pencil’?
We say:
Shall I write in ink or in pencil.
Why not say:
Shall I write in ink or in a pencil?
2
votes
1answer
23 views
“have pain in something” or “have a pain in something”? [closed]
Tell me please which one of the folowing sentences is correct.
Because I have pain in my arm, I cannot pull it.
Because I have a pain in my arm, I cannot pull it.
1
vote
1answer
54 views
Which on of the following grammar is correct? I have never seen “a” snow VS I have never seen snow VS I have never seen the snow
Which grammar is correct or all correct?
I have never seen "a" snow VS I have never seen snow
I've inputted both sentences to the Google search and found results as following
I have ...
1
vote
1answer
25 views
Can “a one” be an unambiguous substitution of “a [noun]”?
I want to use "a one" in the following sentence to refer to a single coat:
I heard that coats were invented for this reason and therefore wearing a one will surely keep you warm.
Does "one" take ...
2
votes
1answer
34 views
“a client and a doctor” vs. “a client and doctor”
I'm conducting a survey related to health care. You can describe yourself using 3 categories: a client, a doctor or "a client and (a) doctor." I'm wondering if I should repeat the second "a" before ...
0
votes
0answers
14 views
'greater understanding' without the preceding article 'a'
I'm aware that by default it is ...a greater understanding. However, I would like to know if I could leave the indefinite article out in the following case:
The goal of this programme is simple: ...
3
votes
1answer
142 views
A question regarding using the definite article
Supposed that I already stated earlier that it was raining for while and I gave a good description of how it looked like. Now, I am wondering if I can use Rain without any articles so that only the ...
11
votes
5answers
1k views
a sore throat vs a strep throat vs strep throat
If my throat is red and it feels painful to swallow, I say
I have a sore throat.
Recently, I've come across "strep throat". It's an infection and it doesn't seem to be used interchangeably with "...
0
votes
1answer
23 views
Correct use of article 'the'
The indians are genetically incapable of being good or outstanding sportsman.
Here i think it should be only indians. If i want to use the then use as the indian not the indians.
Am i right? If 'no'...
2
votes
1answer
49 views
“Siri, set the timer for X minutes”
Every time I ask Siri to
set the timer for X minutes
I get corrected with
set a timer for X minutes
I consulted some tech sites, they seem to agree on "a timer". At least, I didn't find any "...
0
votes
1answer
24 views
when does the noun “access” need an indefinite article?
Most usage of the noun "access" follows a similar format as the following -
"have access to" or "gain access to"
Even for the definition of "a way or means of entering or approaching", Merriam-...
1
vote
1answer
34 views
Shall I use an article before the word “value”
I am not sure if the word value is countable or non-countable. So I am not sure if i should add an article before it in a context like:
Our method adds a value over their method.
1
vote
1answer
21 views
indefinite article with 'school'
Could you explain why is there used indefinite article before school, when the context is about institution rather than building of (a?) school.
For most children, secondary education begins when ...
1
vote
2answers
38 views
“If you own” or “If you own a” when talking about a product in an ad
Let's say there is a game console called Bumby that can be used to play every single game available.
"If you own Bumby, you won't need another console."
"If you own a Bumby, you won't need ...
0
votes
2answers
61 views
“…where gin could be bought at ten cents the large nip” — what else can be used instead of “the”?
The following is an excerpt from 1984:
In the low-ceilinged canteen, deep underground, the lunch queue jerked slowly forward. The room was already very full and deafeningly noisy. From the grille ...
3
votes
1answer
22 views
A case of using definite articles
txt is widely know file format. Should I use the article the or not when referring to it?
I am familiar with the notion of txt format, but it could be wrong. As I just asked a question about using ...
4
votes
2answers
23 views
“search results” or “the search results”
Using articles is sometimes tricky. But I hope my understanding is improving with the great answers provided in this forum.
Some students said that the Google search engine show xx in the search
...
3
votes
1answer
28 views
Is an article needed in these opening statements?
I have some opening statements like:
From programming perspective, ...
And,
From application development perspective, ...
Not sure whether I should add definitive article for them to become:
...
2
votes
1answer
28 views
Using “The” when starting sentence with a noun
My sentence starts with a noun:
Shall I add "The":
The HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is becoming ..
or leave it without an article:
HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is becoming ..
2
votes
4answers
124 views
“The devil is in the detail” or “The devil is in details”
Which statement is correct?
The devil is in the detail
Or,
The devil is in details
0
votes
1answer
22 views
“a great many processes”
Yet a great many processes depending on such research are sought for with complete secrecy until the stage at which patents can be taken out. (J.D. Bernal "Secrecy in Industry," in L.G. Alexander, New ...
1
vote
1answer
23 views
Why is there an indefinite article in the phrase “English as a second language”?
Usually we use the definite article before "first", "second" and so on.
0
votes
0answers
80 views
A class is an extensible program-code-template for creating objects
Given the following definitions of a class:
a class is an extensible program-code-template for creating objects1
A class is the blueprint from which individual objects are created2
A ...
1
vote
1answer
19 views
Which article to use with 'are'?
I read the following sentence from an article online:
We are a species trapped by a series of brightly lit screens.
Is it grammatically correct? Or should it be "We are the species..."? Are both ...
0
votes
2answers
15 views
Definite or indefinite article?
There are following rules about articles:
a - introduces a person/thing we haven't identified before
the- introduces someone/something that is unique.
What happens if I'm going to mention ...
0
votes
1answer
55 views
Is “who or what a thing or person is” correct?
identity: who or what a thing or person is
Is this sentence correct? shouldn't there be an "a" before the word "person"?
I mean it's either definite or indefinite, but in this sentence it's neither ...
0
votes
1answer
23 views
The/an urge to do something
Given the following examples from Oxford Dictionaries
1) ‘I glowered, having a strong urge to turn away from him, but I knew that he intended well.’
2) ‘Larenia giggled after she finished ...
0
votes
1answer
130 views
“For background on ..” vs. “for a backgroun on ..”
This is somewhat tricky articles case:
For a background on X, see ..
vs.
For background on X, see ..
By background, I mean background about a specific topic to build knowledge on it.
1
vote
1answer
17 views
using “the” article in; “the Xs that exisit in the top Xs”
I have a sentence like the following:
From the 400 websites, we exclude the websites that exist in the top websites list
Is using the before the first mention of websites correct? I can not decide ...
3
votes
3answers
50 views
Can I enquire of you [the/an] additional question of whether this is also correct? Can both 'the' and 'an' be applied?
Can I enquire of you the additional question of whether this is
also correct? e.g. ___
Can I enquire of you an additional question of whether this is also
correct? e.g. ___
I'd like to ...
1
vote
2answers
87 views
Using 'shame', 'pity', and 'honor' as countable and uncountable nouns
Sometimes "a" is used with shame/pity/honor, sometimes it's not. What's the difference? How to understand when it should be used.
Have pity! Please have a pity on the helpless.
Shame on you! ...
0
votes
1answer
44 views
the article before “Germany”
He represents a civilized Germany, a role which in itself means that Mann's conception of Germany was not a simple one; he is mild of manner, sane and reasonable, though he is attracted to the demonic ...
2
votes
1answer
36 views
“This is the left eye”: why not “a left eye”?
What is the difference in the application of the article before choosing the side? Or not at all (in what cases)?
a left
or
the left
Well, for example, such an example: "this is a / the left ...
0
votes
2answers
102 views
particularizing attribute with indefinite article
While reading an English grammar book I've run into some issues:
There is the example of a sentence with particularizing attribute:
One day in January he called at the seminary to return a book ...
0
votes
3answers
84 views
Is it “a historical account” or “an historical account”?
I saw both of them on various books, so are both valid? Or is it just that 50% of the people are wrong?
I know it's "a universe", but I still have trouble with it. Is there a website that tells you ...
9
votes
3answers
3k views
“A dreadful five minutes” - what about the article?
In a BBC One show Would I Lie To You the host says "Gary [...] has had to endure a dreadful five minutes." (video on Youtube).
I'm curious about the indefinite article, since I've never seen it used ...
0
votes
2answers
33 views
Where “a/the” aren't used?
Here is simple test with Google:
Search "virtualization of hardware" (with quotes) - it will be 73600 results.
"virtualization of a hardware" (with quotes) - 75 results
"virtualization of the ...
3
votes
1answer
122 views
Wrong title in IELTS? 'An almost forgotten people?'
A title in the IELTS Reading Section reads -
The Phoenicians: an almost forgotten people
It's IELTS and thus unlikely to make a mistake!
What am I missing? Or IELTS has gone wrong?
1
vote
2answers
42 views
use of Indefinite Article
I have doubt about use of article in below sentence.
A cake is necessary when you have party.
Does sentence uses correct article?
2
votes
1answer
41 views
“a pair of variables” and “mixture of Gaussian models”, why in the first sentence `a` is correct while is not required in the second sentence?
As I mentioned in my previous question, a is a determiner used with a noun. However, I am confused about the usage of a in the following sentences.
Let (x_1, x_2) be a pair of variables.
The ...
