No and neither refer to the total number of things involved in negative statements. No is used with singular or plural nouns, and neither only with singular nouns. No and neither are covered in the section on negative words in Chapter 5.
For more information about countable nouns, see paragraphs 1.15 to 1.22.
with uncountable nouns
1.225 For uncountable nouns, any, enough, little, more, most, much, and some are used to talk about a quantity of something. No and all indicate the total quantity of it.
For more information about uncountable nouns, see paragraphs 1.23 to 1.33.
1.226 A, an, another, both, each, either, every, few, many, neither, and several are not usually used with uncountable nouns.
using nouns without determiners
1.227 When you are referring to things or people in an indefinite way, you can sometimes use a noun without a determiner.
…raising money from industry, government, and trusts.
Permission should be asked before visitors are invited.
Uncountable nouns are usually used without a determiner.
Health and education are matters that most voters feel strongly about.
Wealth, like power, tends to corrupt.
Plural nouns are used without a determiner when you are referring to all the people or things of a particular kind.
Dogs need a regular balanced diet, not just meat.
Are there any jobs that men can do that women can’t?
Plural nouns can also be used without a determiner to talk about an unspecified number of things.
Teachers should read stories to children.
Cats and dogs get fleas.
For more information about plural nouns, see paragraphs 1.41 to 1.46.
A and an
1.228 A and an are the most common indefinite determiners. They are used for talking about a person or thing when it is not clear or not important which one is intended. You put a or an in front of the singular form of a countable noun.
He’s bought the children a puppy.
He was eating an apple.
An old lady was calling to him.
choosing a or an
1.229 You use a when the following word begins with a consonant sound.
…a piece…a good teacher…a language class.
This includes some words that begin with a vowel in their written form, because the first sound is a y sound, /j/.
…a university…a European language.
You use an when the following word begins with a vowel sound.
…an example…an art exhibition…an early train.
This includes some words that begin with the letter h in their written form, because the h is not pronounced.
…an honest politician…quarter of an hour.
A is usually pronounced /ǝ/. An is usually pronounced /ǝո/.
not being specific about which person or thing you are referring to
1.230 People often say that you use a or an when you are mentioning something for the first time, but this is not a very helpful rule because there are so many situations where you use the for the first mention of something. See, for example, paragraphs 1.166, 1.167, and 1.168.
You usually use a or an when it is not clear or not important which specific person or thing is being referred to.
She picked up a book.
After weeks of looking, we eventually bought a house.
A colleague and I got some money to do research on rats.
adding extra information
1.231 Sometimes, a or an is simply followed by a noun.
I got a postcard from Susan.
The FBI is conducting an investigation.
But if you want to add extra information, you can add an adjective, or a following clause or phrase.
I met a Swedish girl on the train from Copenhagen.
I’ve been reading an interesting article in The Economist.
We had to write a story about our parents’ childhood.
I chose a picture that reminded me of my own country.
a or an after linking verbs
1.232 You can also use a or an after a linking verb.
She is a model and an artist.
His father was an alcoholic.
Noise was considered a nuisance.
His brother was a sensitive child.
For more information about linking verbs, see Chapter 3.
a and an with uncountable nouns
1.233 Sometimes, a or an are used with an uncountable noun, especially one that relates to human emotions or mental activity. This only happens when the uncountable noun is limited by an adjective, or a phrase or clause giving more information.
A general education is perhaps more important than an exact knowledge of some particular theory.
She had an eagerness for life.
using individuals to generalize
1.234 You can use a or an with a noun when you are using one individual person or thing to make a general statement about all people or things of that type. For example, if you say A gun must be kept in a safe place, you are talking about an individual gun in order to make a general statement about all guns.