indefinite article with proper name

Question

hi everyone!ok, here goes, first post...what's the rule for using the indefinite article with an adjective, before a proper name, as per the following examples?1.  I gave the present to an unsuspecting Helena.2.  Alfie then shut the gate and ambled off to the house, shaking his head in perplexity, to complain to a sympathetic Dora in the kitchen.thanks!

Tidus · Accepted Answer

If the word begins with a vowel - ie 'unsuspecting' then it is preceded by 'an', if it doesn't ie 'sympathetic', then it is preceded by 'a'.

Muttley · Answer

Thanks tidus, but the question referred to the connection between the indefinite article and the proper name, ie. an ...... Helena   and   a ........ Dora.   An indefinite article is never usually used before a proper name, (and only in some cases can the definite article be used before a proper name) but it seems to be the case in the examples I gave. Anyone can tell me why?

Cool Breeze · Answer

Hi Muttley

Unfortunately there are a myriad cases involving proper nouns with adjectival attributes and the indefinite article. You'll just have to learn them piecemeal. As you said in your first post, a/an is often used with a person's name:

We met a sad George yesterday.

The indefinite article is usually not used with place names in similar cases:

We arrived in fascinating Amsterdam yesterday.

To my mind, the use of the articles in general is the most difficult single aspect of English grammar because very often there is absolutely no logic to it and there are thousands, if not tens of thousands of idioms with or without an article. Just be patient and don't lose heart when you realise the absence of logic and order.

CB

Muttley · Answer

thanks cb! i try not to lose heart....

could i also ask what the difference would be if i used the definite article or 0 arcticle in my first example.....

I gave the present to an unsuspecting Helena.

I gave the present to the unsuspecting Helena.

I gave the present to unsuspecting Helena.

Are the last two also grammatically correct?

Cool Breeze · Answer

It seems to me that you are trying to climb a tree from the wrong end,

as we say in Finnish. To me your most immediate language acquisition activities should entail learning to capitalizeI and all sentences rather than the grammatical finesse your mind is set on.

Of your sentences, the first and the third seem OK to me even though I wonder why No. 3 sounds good, without an. I can't think of any reason at the moment, perhaps another member can. The second sentence could perhaps be said if "Helena" had been mentioned before, or in the theoretical event that there were several Helenas present and one of them was unsuspecting or in some similar case.

The is more often used when the person is famous: The great William Shakespeare wrote many immortal plays.

CB

Muttley · Answer

Thanks again, CB. And I accept your admonition gracefully. It's just that I forget that I'm writing in an English language forum and not in a text or e-mail message to friends.<img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' alt='Emotion: smile'/>

Yankee · Answer

Muttleythanks cb! i try not to lose heart....

could i also ask what the difference would be if i used the definite article or 0 arcticle in my first example.....

I gave the present to an unsuspecting Helena. OK. The use of 'an' suggests that it has not been previously mentioned that Helena didn't suspect anything.

I gave the present to the unsuspecting Helena. OK. The use of 'the' suggests that it has already been mentioned or implied in the previous context that Helena didn't suspect anything.

I gave the present to unsuspecting Helena. I would not use this sentence.

Are the last two also grammatically correct?

Philip · Answer

Muttleyhi everyone!

ok, here goes, first post...

what's the rule for using the indefinite article with an adjective, before a proper name, as per the following examples?

1. I gave the present to an unsuspecting Helena.

2. Alfie then shut the gate and ambled off to the house, shaking his head in perplexity, to complain to a sympathetic Dora in the kitchen.

thanks!

Either you or one of your classmates from Czech Republic posted this question as "anonymous" :

indefinite article before proper name

Muttley · Answer

Yes, thanks Amy, that's cleared it up for me....

And sorry Philip, I plead guilty in this case, it was me..... when I couldn't find an answer to the post I submitted under "anonymous" (I probably didn't look hard enough), I sent the same question again after registering, thinking that this was the answer to the problem.

So thanks for your reply to the first post, and apologies once again..... I'm learning more than just English here!

Philip · Answer

MuttleyYes, thanks Amy, that's cleared it up for me....

And sorry Philip, I plead guilty in this case, it was me..... when I couldn't find an answer to the post I submitted under "anonymous" (I probably didn't look hard enough), I sent the same question again after registering, thinking that this was the answer to the problem.

So thanks for your reply to the first post, and apologies once again..... I'm learning more than just English here!

A good lesson for other "anonymous" folk. Welcom to the boards.

indefinite article with proper name

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