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Editorial
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Title: The Proper Use of A and An
Source: [None]
URL Source: [None]
Published: Nov 17, 2012
Author: me
Post Date: 2012-11-17 22:45:20 by James Deffenbach
Keywords: None
Views: 519
Comments: 30

It just drives me crazy to see otherwise intelligent people use the word "a" where they should use an and some people ALWAYS use "a" and never use an. But that is not correct.

Use 'an' if the next word starts with a vowel sound. If it does not, then use 'a'.

Examples:

Buy a house in an hour. (Although 'house' and 'hour' start with the same three letters (hou), one attracts 'a' and the other 'an'.)

An unknown goblin killed a unicorn.

An LRS... (LRS - Linear Recursive Sequence)

A TT race... (TT - Tourist Trophy)

It would be a honour.--this is incorrect ('honour' - starts with an o sound)

Send an US ambassador. incorrect ('US' - starts with a y sound)

She was involved in a RTA. incorrect ('RTA' - Road Traffic Accident)

Source: Grammar-Monster.com

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Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 28.

#10. To: James Deffenbach (#0)

What drives me nuts is when I see in writing "an historian" when it's "a historian." They wouldn't say "an history," would they?

Turtle  posted on  2012-11-17   23:43:44 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  

What drives me nuts is when I see in writing "an historian" when it's "a historian." They wouldn't say "an history," would they?

That is not "a unusual" occurrence. A lot of British writers write thisaway - writers who write big, thick, professionally edited books.

This goes to show that these rules don't show the "proper" way to write or say something. That is to say, there is no grammar angel that anoints this or that usage with a "Thus shalt thou write it."

The rules we use represent conventions. And those conventions change from time to time and place to place.

randge  posted on  2012-11-18   8:37:19 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  

What drives me nuts is when I see in writing "an historian" when it's "a historian." They wouldn't say "an history," would they?

That is not "a unusual" occurrence. A lot of British writers write thisaway - writers who write big, thick, professionally edited books.

This goes to show that these rules don't show the "proper" way to write or say something. That is to say, there is no grammar angel that anoints this or that usage with a "Thus shalt thou write it."

The rules we use represent conventions. And those conventions change from time to time and place to place.

I'm sure it's how it's pronounced that is important rather than how it's spelled. The British don't pronounce the h. I imagine the appointed english language authorities have this clearly established. Not so much in the colonies.

wudidiz  posted on  2012-11-18   13:29:44 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  

#29. To: wudidiz (#28)

Yes. Always pay attention to how it sounds. If it doesn't sound right it probably isn't.

James Deffenbach  posted on  2012-11-18 13:50:34 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  

I'm sure it's how it's pronounced that is important rather than how it's spelled.

I used to work with a bunch of Brits.I have heard them say "an 'istorian." I have also heard them say "an historian." They never say "an history." Must have something to do with the stress shift between the two words, I'd guess.

FWIW

I imagine the appointed english language authorities have this clearly established. Not so much in the colonies.

We don't have officially appointed authorities in the English language world like the French or the Spanish do with the Académie Française or the Real Academia Española. We rely on the consensus between academic, private and semi-private organizations like Oxford, Websters, UPI and a host of institutes that generally agree on the simple stuff like the use of "a" and "an." Things may differ depending on what side of the drink you're working on or the kind of writing you're doing.

randge  posted on  2012-11-18 13:58:02 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  

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