Language and Linguistics

Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English Further reading

INDEFINITE ARTICLE

Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language | 1998 | | Copyright

INDEFINITE ARTICLE. In English grammar, the term for a and an when used to introduce a noun phrase: a cup of coffee or an angry reply. A occurs before consonant sounds (a garden, a human, a use) and an before vowel sounds (an orange, an hour, an uncle, an MP, an SOS). An is sometimes used before certain words beginning with an h, such as an hotel, an historian, particularly if the h is not pronounced. Some, however, pronounce the h, giving rise to controversy and being regarded by some others as slightly pretentious or precious. See ARTICLE, H.

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

TOM McARTHUR. "INDEFINITE ARTICLE." Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

TOM McARTHUR. "INDEFINITE ARTICLE." Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O29-INDEFINITEARTICLE.html

TOM McARTHUR. "INDEFINITE ARTICLE." Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language. 1998. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O29-INDEFINITEARTICLE.html

Learn more about citation styles

indefinite article

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English | 2009 | Copyright

in·def·i·nite ar·ti·cle • n. Gram. a determiner (a and an in English) that introduces a noun phrase and implies that the thing referred to is nonspecific (as in she bought me a book; government is an art; he went to a public school). Typically, the indefinite article is used to introduce new concepts into a discourse. Compare with definite article.

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

"indefinite article." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"indefinite article." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-indefinitearticle.html

"indefinite article." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-indefinitearticle.html

Learn more about citation styles

Free newspaper and magazine articles

	Deconstruction and the medieval indefinite article: the undecidable... Magazine article from: Parergon; 7/1/2008
	The layered DP; form and meaning of French indefinites.(Brief article)(Book... Magazine article from: Reference & Research Book News; 8/1/2008
	Court rules against indefinite detention of immigrants.(Brief Article) Magazine article from: National Catholic Reporter; 7/13/2001