INDEFINITE ARTICLES a and an Grammar Review Duration: 30 minutes

NOTICING TASK My wife likes would like to buy a house near our children’s school. Read the dialogues below, then answer the questions which follow. Ben: Ali, this is my friend Yousef. Yousef, this is Ali, an engineer here at Caltech. Ali: Nice to meet you Yousef. Yousef: Same here Ali. Which house does the man’s wife like to buy? What is Ali’s job?

USAGE 1 1. We use the indefinite article, a/an, with count nouns when the hearer/reader does not know exactly which one we are referring to: Ex. Police are searching for a14 year-old girl. 2. We also use it to show the person or thing is one of a group: Ex. She is a pupil at London Road School. The case of a missing girl.

USAGE 2 3. We do not use an indefinite article with plural nouns and uncount nouns: Ex. She was wearing blue shoes. (= plural noun) Ex. She has short blonde hair. (= uncount noun) 4. We use a/an to say what someone is or what job they do: Ex. My brother is a doctor. Ex. George is a student. 5. We use a/an with a singular noun to say something about all things of that kind: Ex. A man needs friends. (= All men need friends) Ex. A dog likes to eat meat. (= All dogs like to eat meat)

QUICK PRACTICE Now lift the box to show the answers.