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.
541
questions
0
votes
1answer
16 views
English Articles: Perilla oil is an/the edible vegetable oil derived from perilla seeds
This is a sentence from Wikipedia.
Perilla oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from perilla seeds.
I don't understand why it is an edible vegetable oil. We can only have one oil from perilla, i....
0
votes
0answers
20 views
What a snow! Adding indifinate article before uncountable words in exclamatory sentences
Is it correct to put the article 'a' before the word snow (in the following context) even it is uncountable?
What a snow!
In other words, is it ok to add an indifinate article before ...
0
votes
2answers
20 views
‘The great storm in/of 1987’
My father lost his life during the great storm of 1987.
I’m not familiar with the structure ‘the ... of (time)’. I would say a great storm in 1987. Does the great storm of 1987 refer to a particular ...
1
vote
1answer
23 views
Usage of AN before a consonant
I am a bit confused on when to use a or an. I understand "a" comes before a consonant, while "an" is followed by a vowel. But obviously an expression like an significant part is also true (reading an ...
0
votes
1answer
11 views
Use of indefinite article before “worsening”
Since worsening is an uncountable, singular noun according to the Cambridge dictionary, I dont know how an indefinite article comes before it. For example:
" No one could have predicted such a ...
0
votes
1answer
34 views
Use of definite article when refering to unique fictional things
I read a lot of explanations about the uses of the definite article, but it sort of made me more confused instead of clarifying about what I had in mind:
In a given story which takes place in a ...
1
vote
1answer
32 views
Indefinite article before numbers in context
Tell me please if I have to use the indefinite article before #nine in the following context.
On the scale of 1 to 10, how strong was the pain of having your tooth drilled. Well it was (a) nine.
...
2
votes
1answer
76 views
How to correctly name photographs? (confusion with articles)
What to do in these examples?:
"Pines in (the/zero article) fog"?
https://images.fineartamerica.com/images/artworkimages/mediumlarge/1/foggy-pines-paula-apro.jpg
"(An/0) eagle (in the/at) dusk"?
...
0
votes
2answers
47 views
“to put smth to the test” vs. “to put smth to a test”
What is the difference in the meaning between the two phrases: "to put smth to the test" and "to put smth to a test"?
0
votes
1answer
29 views
Articles before uncountable noun form of “Need”
I am really confused as to why there is an article before the singular uncountable form of " need" noun. I stumbled upon this while looking out for its usage in Oxford learner's dictionary.
"There's ...
0
votes
1answer
40 views
“An actual answer to the question” or “the actual answer to the question”?
Tell me please which article I have to use in the following context: the indefinite or definite article.
Why didn't you go to school yesterday? I want to know an/the actual answer.
I have heard ...
0
votes
0answers
35 views
“Summary” vs “A summary” vs “The summary”
Let's suppose my manager asks me to research some problem. I've done this and now I'm going to write him a message:
A/the summary:
[The problem is caused by this and that ...]
Do I need any ...
0
votes
0answers
22 views
Diplomacy: The patriotic art of lying for one's country
This is a quote from Ambrose Bierce:
Diplomacy: The patriotic art of lying for one's country.
I was wondering is it okay to replace one's with the or a. All three are determiners. Does the ...
0
votes
0answers
24 views
Indefinite article before plurar noun
I have noticed there are some cases where there is an indefinite article in front of a plural noun. For example, I have stumbled upon these two sentences:
Although we have a ways to go, let’s pause ...
0
votes
1answer
27 views
Is “the all” not correct?
Is the sentence B not correct and is only A valid? Or are the both ok?
A. I'd like to know all the problems we've had so far.
B. I'd like to know the all problems we've had so far.
1
vote
1answer
41 views
A/The laptop which I bought in the UK is faulty
Are the statements below wrong? Thanks!
The laptop which I bought in the UK is faulty.
analysis: You know I bought only one laptop visiting the UK and it's faulty.
A laptop which I ...
1
vote
1answer
53 views
A problem with the rule about articles in English
Some time ago a native English speaker said to me that
That is the tool which I use to edit video
Means the person uses only this tool and
That is a tool which I use to edit video
Means the ...
0
votes
1answer
35 views
What article would be correct here? A belief that / The belief that
Can I change the definite article in the following sentence and remain grammatical?
Once you adopt the belief that there's nothing you can do to change
something, you start to take a pernicious ...
1
vote
2answers
146 views
What is the difference between “make lunch” and “make a lunch ”?
I always thought that the only correct is make lunch or cook lunch. But in this video at 30 minutes and 32 seconds a native English teacher is saying that it is possible to say
I am going to make ...
0
votes
1answer
25 views
Which article do I use with “class” and “the name of a certain subject” when talking about a certain class in general?
Tell me please which article I have to use before class and the name of a certain subject in general, not about one specific class? For example:
I like going to English class.
I like going to ...
0
votes
0answers
45 views
The use of “a”, “the” and “zero article” before the brands of cars
Let's say I prefer the cars made by a certain company. Which article do I use in the following context?
I prefer a Volvo.
I prefer the Volvo.
I prefer Volvo.
-1
votes
1answer
45 views
Is it necessary to use the indefinite article before the words “mother”, “mom”, “dad”, “father” when saying that someone has one?
Is necessary to use the indefinite article before mom, mother, dad, father when saying that someone has one? For example:
Do you have a mom?
Do you have Mom?
0
votes
0answers
30 views
Article after AT - THE vs A/AN
What are the rules on the use of articles after the proposition of AT?
I'm asking because I can't conclude why in the case of age, THE is used and in the case of speed or altitude, A/AN is used:
...
0
votes
0answers
26 views
The Intention of X / An intention of X
She'd want him to be involved in their relationship with the intention of marrying, not just playing around.
We couldn't say, ''an intention of marrying'', which means we don't limit the number of ...
0
votes
1answer
22 views
When to use article (a) and not using article , also using article (the)
Based on information from police report you are a traitor.
Based on information from the police report you are a traitor.
Based on information from a police report you are a traitor.
Which is ...
0
votes
0answers
13 views
Omitting the indefinite article before occupations [duplicate]
From what I understand, one can omit the indefinite article when referring to unique titles or roles/professions, e.g. “He's captain of the local football team”.
With less unique roles, I have ...
0
votes
1answer
41 views
Is “the” possible as a right answer? (English test from Japanese year 7)
This box is big. This ( )( )( ) box.
Fill in the blanks so those two sentences can be almost the same meaning.
I know the answer is This (is)(a)(big) box.
However many children use "the" instead ...
2
votes
1answer
52 views
How to differentiate pairs like “an occupied territory” and “unoccupied territory” in speech
The noun "territory" can be both countable and uncountable, so "an occupied territory" and "unoccupied territory" are both complete noun phrases. The first vowels of the noun phrases are both schwa ...
1
vote
2answers
91 views
English article: a temperature vs temperature
I was looking the definition of temperature in Merriam-Webster. In count noun section, I noticed a sentence with no article before "temperature".
If a noun is countable, we must use an article (a or ...
0
votes
1answer
86 views
Is the phrase “You can cancel a subscription anytime” correct?
One native speaker said that it is a mistake to use the indefinite article in the phrase "You can cancel a subscription anytime". I want to ask native speakers if it's true, and if yes — what rule ...
0
votes
0answers
43 views
Should I use “an” in case that the adjective starts with a vowel? [duplicate]
Cambridge: The book presents a one-sided view of history.
I'm confused. I thought that it should be an one-sided view of history. Could you please explain this case to me?
I know that the article ...
0
votes
1answer
38 views
Putting the indefinite article before the second noun
Which of the sentences below is correct and why?
I'm not a loser or pessimist.
I'm not a loser or a pessimist.
0
votes
1answer
30 views
2
votes
1answer
98 views
Does 'a window' close the possibility to be one and only one window in the room?
Imagine me staying in a room and I have you on the phone and say to you that it has a window. I know that it has only one window but still choose the indefinite article 'a' because I'm not going to ...
0
votes
1answer
109 views
I took the wrong article and changed the meaning. Is it wrong?
If I say ‘’Those are the pencils which I use to write in English’’ you know that I only use these pencils so the definite article excludes the existence of other things in this category.
If I say ‘’...
0
votes
1answer
30 views
Which of the following sentence is correct ?(use of definitive article related)
What is the name of game in screenshot?
What is name of the game in screenshot?
What is the name of the game in screenshot?
What is name of game in screenshot?
Which of the above mentioned sentence ...
0
votes
2answers
21 views
Using an article after “which we call”
I am hesitant in using an article after the sentence which we call.
Example:
We discovered a new attack model which we call "man-in-the-middle"
attack
Or
We discovered a new attack model ...
1
vote
1answer
66 views
How do you see the difference between these two sentences?
Could someone explain the difference between these two? Why does the first one take the definite article and the second one takes the indefinite article?
1) Thousands of years ago, it was only ...
3
votes
4answers
1k views
Is it true that if we start a sentence with 'the', this 'the' can be omitted?
The data in Tables 1 were assembled from studies in North
America...
Fluxes shown in Table 1 are different from Tables 2 and 3
because...
Results of the calculations indicate that .... ...
0
votes
1answer
130 views
The ultimate rule of taking the right article
A while ago I read a grammar book where I was said to use a definite article every time a noun is followed by a qualifying clause with OF or another preposition.
1.1 The first person to run the mile ...
2
votes
2answers
514 views
A car vs the car - English Article
Consider the following sentence from Oxford learners' dictionary, under their entry for the:
There was an accident here yesterday. A car hit a tree and the driver was killed.
In the first sentence,...
1
vote
1answer
95 views
Articles for different types of 'analysis'
All examples, except the last one, are from Longman dictionary
A factor analysis identified ten significant factors affecting women’s rights.
A structural analysis showed that the roof was ...
1
vote
2answers
43 views
‘tell a story’ or ‘tell the story’ in a single sentence
The single sentence:
The novel tells the story of a salesman.
Can I say:
The novel tells a story of a salesman?
I chose a story, but the answer is the story.
0
votes
2answers
529 views
Should it be “a moon” or “the moon”
I was reading Julian Barnes The Sense of an Ending, when I encountered this line:
And I thought of a cresting wave of water, lit by a moon, rushing past
and vanishing upstream, pursued by a band ...
0
votes
2answers
25 views
new puppy vs a new puppy
What is the difference between "new puppy" and "a new puppy"?
Take this sentence for example:
My brother’s daughter and new puppy are already best buds
What if we add an indefinite article berere ...
1
vote
3answers
123 views
Can we use a definite article when someone we are talking to doesn't know of the topic yet?
As for my question about the difference between
I like a movie, Pulp Fiction.
I like the movie, Pulp Fiction.
A commenter answered: I would say the only difference in usage is that you would use ...
0
votes
1answer
105 views
Cases where we can omit articles?
I often get confused with the definite article. For instance in the following sentence should we use the or not?
4 easy steps to update the recipient of your Optiscore Subscription
Putting a ...
2
votes
2answers
155 views
difference between “part” and “a part”
What is the difference between part and a part?
What is the difference between these two sentences?
He was a part of the team.
He was part of the team.
I heard that part means a member and a ...
0
votes
0answers
26 views
meet a/the target of . . .?
Should the definite or indefinite article be used in the following? The target in question is mentioned for the first time in the passage, yet it seems to be quite specific.
Currently, the Ministry ...
0
votes
1answer
76 views
Definite article in definitions
I have noticed a pattern of using the definite article „the” that occurs in definitions, and I don’t know how to explain that. The pattern is as follows: "A/An + term + basic description. The + term + ...
