an

音標發(fā)音

通常來說，a 是用在以輔音開首的詞前面，an 是用在以元音開首的詞前面；
可數(shù)名詞前面用 a（或 an），不可數(shù)名詞前面不可用a（或 an)，如可以說 a healthy boy，卻不可以說 a health；
在特定情況下，a（或 an）可以用在復數(shù)形式前面:習語中有a few (books)，a great many (books)等表示方法。在表示時間或款項的短語前面，如 a further five minutes。在若干在形式上是復數(shù)而在意思上是單數(shù)的單詞前面，如 a barracks，a links。在美國口語中，如 a good ways，a long ways；
a （或 an）有時有“一個而不是那所要的一個”的意思。I got a letter indeed，but it was from a friend. 事實上，我收到了一封信，但只是一個朋友的來信。
a 也有“任何一個”的意思。I wanted to read a book，I did not care whether it was a history，a novel，or a biography.
a 與 few 搭配使用時，few 是“很少”，有“幾乎沒有”的意思。a few 是“若干”，有“頗有幾個”的意思。注意，only a few 卻等于 few，也是“很少”的意思。

Beauty is an attitude. It has nothing to do with age.
美是一種態(tài)度，與年齡無關。
Good luck is when an opportunity comes along and you're prepared for it.
好運就是當機會來臨時，你早已做好了準備。
An attempt by anti-abortionists to tighten the rules was defeated.
反墮胎者所作的加強法規(guī)的嘗試失敗了。
The driveway makes a hook around an old tree.
車道繞過一棵老樹來了個急轉彎.
Television allows viewers to experience an event without any loss of immediacy.
電視讓觀眾可以即時經(jīng)歷某一事件.

An is used instead of "a," the indefinite article, in front of words that begin with vowel sounds. (a)
&rarran obsolete or dialect word for if
Netherlands Antilles