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Camilo Martins
Why sometimes I have to use "a' and another times no?
Exemplos:
She is small beautiful crazy and smart.
He is an old tall Brazilian and student.
Aug 10, 2018 4:02 PM
Answers · 9
3
Hi Camilo
'A' and 'an' are indefinite articles in English, they are used to refer to an unspecified thing, quantity or group. There is a general rule you can memorize so you'd know in the future when to use 'a' or 'an': 'a' is used when it precedes a word beginning with a consonant whilst 'an' is used when it precedes a word beginning with a vowel.
E.g.: 'a' sheep, 'a' dog', 'a' flower / 'an' idea', 'an' operation', 'an' apple.
To answer your question, these indefinite articles are used when you're using a noun in your sentence.
E.g.: 'a' beautiful girl - you have to use 'a' because you're referring to the noun 'girl' (the adjective 'beautiful' is followed by the
noun 'girl')
she is beautiful - you don't use an article because the adjective 'beautiful' is not followed by a noun
'a' great idea - you use 'a' because the adjective 'great' is followed by the noun 'idea'
your idea is great - you don't use an article because the adjective 'great' is not followed by a noun
I hope this helps!
Regards
Karen
August 10, 2018
1
He is a speaker and writer
He is an architect and a dancer
When the two things are related, it is possible to leave out the second "a" in the sentence.
When they are a new idea, it is not.
So for your example, it should read: he is an old, tall Brazilian and a student
Because the student is a new idea
However, in the following example:
He is a proud, hardworking Brazilian father and student
here student is not a new idea, and so it is more like a list where you do not have to repeat the a
He took a kettle, bottle of milk and jar of coffee into the sitting room.
This is a list and "a" doesn't need to be repeated
He took a kettle and an orange into the living room and then took a book and a cat back into the kitchen - where they are not logically related and it makes more sense to put a/an
August 10, 2018
Thank you for answer my question.
August 10, 2018
She is a student.
She is a (adjectives) student.
She (a student) is adjectives. The adjectives don't need an article "a".
She is beautiful.
She has red hair and blue eyes.
She has a hat. ("hat" noun, needs an article)
August 10, 2018
"an" when next word starts with a vowel sound, not necessarily just a vowel.
August 10, 2018
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Camilo Martins
Language Skills
English, Portuguese
Learning Language
English
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