What is an indefinite article?

An indefinite article is a type of article (a word that precedes a noun to indicate the reference of the noun) that does not specify a particular thing but rather refers to any member of a class. In English, the indefinite articles are “a” and “an.” “A” is used before words that begin with a consonant sound, while “an” is used before words that begin with a vowel sound. These articles indicate that the noun they precede is not specific but rather one of many possible instances. For example, “a cat” refers to any cat, not a specific cat. Similarly, “an apple” refers to any apple, not a particular apple.