Search from various Engels teachers...
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.
10 aug. 2018 16:02
Antwoorden · 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
10 augustus 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
10 augustus 2018
Thank you for answer my question.
10 augustus 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)
10 augustus 2018
"an" when next word starts with a vowel sound, not necessarily just a vowel.
10 augustus 2018
Meer weergeven
Heb je je antwoorden nog steeds niet gevonden?
Schrijf je vragen op en laat de moedertaalsprekers je helpen!
Camilo Martins
Taalvaardigheden
Engels, Portugees
Taal die wordt geleerd
Engels
Artikelen die je misschien ook leuk vindt

Same Word, Different Meaning: American, British, and South African English
18 likes · 16 Opmerkingen

How to Sound Confident in English (Even When You’re Nervous)
15 likes · 12 Opmerkingen

Marketing Vocabulary and Phrases for Business English Learners
12 likes · 6 Opmerkingen
Meer artikelen
