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First mention and non-specific reference. Vietnamese has no article system at all.
Why you specifically
Mạo từ bất định a/an dùng trước danh từ đếm được số ít khi danh từ chưa xác định, khi ta nhắc đến nó lần đầu, hoặc khi ta nói về một người/vật thuộc loại đó. Ví dụ: a car, an apple, a doctor. Dùng a trước âm phụ âm và dùng an trước âm nguyên âm. Điều quan trọng là âm đầu, không phải chữ cái đầu, nên ta nói an hour nhưng a university. Đây là điểm rất dễ sai với người Việt vì tiếng Việt không có hệ thống mạo từ, nên người học thường bỏ luôn a/an. Với đa số danh từ đếm được số ít trong tiếng Anh, bạn cần có mạo từ.
The rule
A and an are indefinite articles. They are used before a singular countable noun when the noun is not specific, when we mention it for the first time, or when we mean one example of a thing or job: a car, an apple, a doctor. Use a before a consonant sound and an before a vowel sound. The sound is important, not the spelling, so we say an hour but a university. With most singular countable nouns in English, you need an article; Vietnamese often leaves this out because Vietnamese does not have an article system. The article is not used with plural nouns or uncountable nouns in the same way, so this lesson focuses only on singular countable nouns.
The trap
I bought a umbrella because it was raining.
I bought an umbrella because it was raining.
Umbrella begins with a vowel sound, so we use an. Many Vietnamese learners choose a because the spelling starts with u, but article choice depends on sound, not spelling.
She wants job in Hanoi.
She wants a job in Hanoi.
We use a before a singular countable noun when we mention it for the first time or when it is not specific. Vietnamese has no article, so learners often leave it out.
He is a engineer.
He is an engineer.
Engineer starts with a vowel sound, so we use an. The spelling starts with e and the pronunciation also starts with a vowel sound.
Please give me pen.
Please give me a pen.
We use a with one singular countable noun when it is not a specific pen. A bare singular noun is not correct in standard English.
Prove it
14 drills
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