an
gb/ən/ us/ən/
A1
English
~ 100
egy
A1
1
egy
A1
Usage pattern:
an [adjective] [singular noun]
She ate an orange for breakfast.
Reggelire megevett egy narancsot.
He gave me an honest answer.
Őszinte választ adott nekem.
We stayed in an old house by the sea.
It took an hour to get there.
He suggested an interesting plan.
Learner examples
I saw an elephant at the zoo.
Láttam egy elefántot az állatkertben.
She read an old book.
Egy régi könyvet olvasott.
He waited for an hour.
They bought an umbrella.
We watched an exciting movie.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'a' instead of 'an' before words starting with a vowel sound, e.g., 'a apple' instead of 'an apple'. They may also incorrectly choose 'an' for words starting with a silent consonant or a consonant sound spelled with a vowel letter.
Meaning
Indefinite article before vowel sounds
Collocations
an apple
|an idea
|an hour
|an example
|an answer
Synonyms
a ('A' is used before consonant sounds, while 'an' is used before vowel sounds.)
Themes
grammar
|language_learning
|writing
|communication
|education
|core_vocabulary
Definition
The word used before a noun when it starts with a vowel sound and is not specific.
The form of the indefinite article used before words that begin with a vowel sound.
Grammar
Dictionary form
an
IPA
GB/ən/
US/ən/
Syllables & stress
an (1 syllable)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: an
- Plural: ans
Word family
Forms
ans
noun
Related words
a
article A1
Expressions
an arm and a leg
8/ən ˈɑɹm ˈænd ə lˈɛɡ/
idiom
informal
very expensive
a lot of money
Examples
- That new phone costs an arm and a leg.
- We paid an arm and a leg for parking near the stadium.
- Hotels in the city center can cost an arm and a leg.
Learner examples
- The concert ticket cost an arm and a leg.
- I like the apartment, but the rent is an arm and a leg.
an awful lot
7/ən ˈɔfəl lˈɑt/
fixed phrase
informal
a very large amount
a lot; very much
Examples
- Thanks, that helps an awful lot.
- They spent an awful lot of money on the wedding.
- There are an awful lot of people waiting outside.
Learner examples
- I learned an awful lot from that course.
- She has an awful lot of work to do.
an hour or so
6/ən ˈaʊɚ ˈɔɹ sˈoʊ/
fixed phrase
about one hour
about one hour
Examples
- I’ll be back in an hour or so.
- The repair should take an hour or so.
- We talked for an hour or so after dinner.
Learner examples
- I studied for an hour or so last night.
- Please call me in an hour or so.
come to an end
1/kˈʌm tə ən ˈɛnd/
fixed phrase
to finish happening or existing
To stop happening or finish existing.
Examples
- All good things must come to an end.
- The festival came to an end after three days.
come to an end
5/kˈʌm tə ən ˈɛnd/
fixed phrase
finish
to finish
Examples
- The concert came to an end just before midnight.
- After three hours, the meeting finally came to an end.
- Their long friendship came to an end after the argument.
Learner examples
- The lesson came to an end at four o’clock.
- Our holiday came to an end too quickly.
half an hour
1/hˈæf ən ˈaʊɚ/
fixed phrase
thirty minutes
thirty minutes
Examples
- The meeting starts in half an hour.
- I waited for half an hour, but no one came.
- It takes about half an hour to walk there.
Learner examples
- I need half an hour to finish my homework.
- The train leaves in half an hour.
have an effect on
4/hˈæv ən ɪfˈɛkt ˈɔn/
fixed phrase
influence
to change or influence something
Examples
- The new law will have an effect on small businesses.
- Lack of sleep can have an effect on your memory.
- The decision had a big effect on the whole team.
Learner examples
- Stress can have an effect on your health.
- The weather had an effect on our travel plans.
keep an eye on
1/kˈip ən ˈaɪ ˈɔn/
idiom
Watch carefully for safety/attention
To watch someone or something carefully to make sure they are safe or doing what they should.
Examples
- Can you keep an eye on the kids while I cook?
- Can you keep an eye on my bag while I go to the restroom?
- Please keep an eye on my bag while I'm away.
- Parents should keep an eye on their children at the park.
- She kept an eye on the soup while it was cooking.
keep an eye on
2/kˈip ən ˈaɪ ˈɔn/
idiom
watch or monitor
to watch someone or something carefully
Examples
- Can you keep an eye on my bag while I buy a ticket?
- Please keep an eye on the children in the garden.
- We need to keep an eye on costs this month.
Learner examples
- Could you keep an eye on my laptop for a minute?
- The doctor wants to keep an eye on my blood pressure.
make an effort
1/mˈeɪk ən ˈɛfɚt/
fixed phrase
try hard to do something
To try hard to do something.
Examples
- You should make an effort to exercise regularly.
- He made an effort to arrive on time despite the traffic.
make an effort
3/mˈeɪk ən ˈɛfɚt/
fixed phrase
try hard
to try hard
Examples
- She made an effort to be friendly to everyone.
- You need to make an effort if you want to improve.
- He made a real effort to arrive on time.
Learner examples
- I am making an effort to speak English every day.
- He made an effort to help his team.