May I borrow . . . . . . . . pencil, please? A. a B. an C. the D. no article

a
an
the
no article

The correct answer is: no article.

A pencil is a common object, so it is not necessary to specify which pencil you are referring to. Using an article would make it sound like you are asking for a specific pencil, such as “May I borrow the pencil that is on the desk?”

In general, articles are used to specify which noun you are referring to. If you are not specifying a particular noun, then you do not need to use an article.

Here are some more examples of when you would not use an article:

  • May I borrow a pencil, please?
  • I like pencils.
  • I saw a pencil on the ground.

In these cases, you are not referring to a specific pencil, so you do not need to use an article.