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Title: The Proper Use of A and An
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Published: Nov 17, 2012
Author: me
Post Date: 2012-11-17 22:45:20 by James Deffenbach
Keywords: None
Views: 503
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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#1. To: All (#0)
(Edited)
Abbreviations that start with the consonants F, H, L, M, N, R, S and X attract an, because they start with vowel sounds. An FRS representative will be present. (FRS - Fellow of the Royal Society) A LF transmitter was found in the basement. X (LF - Low Frequency) WATCH OUT FOR U Abbreviations that start with the vowel U attract a, because U starts with the consonant sound 'y'. A US ship spotted a U-boat. An UFO landed in 1967. X TREAT ACRONYMS LIKE WORDS NOT ABBREVIATIONS An acronym is an abbreviation that is spoken like a word, e.g., BUPA, FOD, FEDEX. Therefore, as the first sound of FEDEX is 'f', use a and not an. Tim worked in the air industry as a FOD inspector for a year. (FOD - Foreign Object Damage) Jack was a FEDEX courier.
Abbreviations that start with the vowel U attract a, because U starts with the consonant sound 'y'. The business executive portrayed by Clarence Kolb in the movie "Impact" [1949] makes that mistake near the beginning of the film by saying, "An unanimous vote!" It really sounds odd.
Yeah, you have to be careful with it and listen to what sounds right--if it sounds right it is probably because it is.
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#4. To: James Deffenbach (#1)
WATCH OUT FOR U
#5. To: Esso (#4)
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