3 Indefinite Article An African Safari Indefinite

3 Indefinite Article An African Safari

Indefinite articles are NOT specific. They are the OPPOSITE of definite articles. Example: I want THE blouse that your gave me for my birthday. (This is a very specific blouse – therefore we use a definite article. ) However: I want A blouse. (This is just any blouse – non specific – therefore we use an indefinite article. )

In English the indefinite article is expressed by the words: a or an FIRST, LETS’ S COMPARE A AND AN

a We use before words which begin with consonants (b, c, d, f, …) A doctor A big car A girl an We use before words which begin with Vowels (a, e, o, . . ) And begin with silent h an apple An interesting film An hour

An Exeption a We also use before U when it sounds like the word “you” and before EU A university A European city

The use of the indefinite article

Indefinite Article 1 In its classifying function the article serves to refer an object to the class or group of objects of the same kind. Also when we don’t have a particular person, place, or thing in mind, we use non-specific nouns. Use the indefinite article a/an with non-specific singular count nouns. I’d love to hold a baby lion. I am a school teacher. Somewhere a telephone began to ring.

Indefinite Article 2 Numerical function. A noun is often indefinite the first time a speaker mentions it. It is usually definite after the first mention. 1 st Mention We went on a safari last year. 2 nd Mention The safari was very educational.

Indefinite Article 3 In its generic function the indefinite article implies that the object denoted by the noun is spoken of as a representative of the class, and therefore what is said class about the thing, animal, person, or notion mentioned, refers to any object of the same kind, as in: A zebra has four legs. A tram runs on rails, a bus does not.

Some special uses of a/an We use a/an with prices, frequency and speeds Frequency I drink about 3 cups of coffee a day Speeds You are driving at ninety miles an hour

We use a/an before hundred, thousand million We use a/an for talking about jobs I am a bank manager A hundred people A thousand days

There a number of set expressions with the indefinite article. In most of them the main functions of the indefinite article can be seen. at a time at a glance as a result (of) as a whole at a distance of. . . (but: in the distance) at a depth (but: in the depth) at a speed of. . . in a good (evil) hour in a hurry (but: in haste) in a fury in a low voice in a whisper It is a pity It is a pleasure It is a shame What a shame! What a pity!

Practice 1 Look at the sentences. Complete them with an indefinite article or no article. Explain your answers to a partner. A Example: _____ zebra came right up to me! 1. We stayed in _____ nice lodge. _____ game reserves a usually have lodges nearby. 2. That kind of bird is usually found in _____ Zambia. an 3. Have you ever seen _____ elephant up close? 4. This is _____ great vacation. a a 5. I would love to be _____ game warden. 6. A: Do you often see _____ warthogs at game reserves? B: Oh, yes. There are some right over there.

Trip to Kenya Look at the letter. Fill in the blanks with a, an, the or no article. Explain your answers to a partner. You will check your answers at the end of the presentation. Dear Marta, We took ____ most wonderful trip last month. We went on ____ great safari. ____ safari was in Kenya and we saw ____ lions and ____hippos up close! ____ experience was great. ____ only problem was my husband was bitten by ____ mosquito, but since we had taken malaria medicine before we came, ____ Dr. Matuka said he would be okay. Love, Gloria