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Tancs
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119179
Mon, 18 Jul 05 12:25 AM
Hi all,
Is there a rule that I can use come to correct article to use before a acronym or abbrevation?
For example,
an FBI agent or a FBI agent?
a NATO country or an NATO country?
a NBA game or an NBA game?
a MIT student or an MIT student?
Thanks a lot!
CS
Joined on
Sun, Jul 17 2005
New Member
03
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khoff
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119192
Mon, 18 Jul 05 12:52 AM
I would just go by the initial sound of the acronym (as it is pronounced):
an FBI agent, an NBA game, an MIT student (because the initial sound in each of these is "eh", and using "a" instead of "an" would make it hard to pronounce)
but -- a NATO country
Joined on
Sun, Mar 6 2005
Denver, Colorado, USA, Earth
Senior Member
2,761
Native speaker of American English (but not a grammar expert)
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Clive
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119194
Mon, 18 Jul 05 12:57 AM
Hi Tancs,
If you say the expression and it sounds like it starts with a vowel, use 'an'.
For example,
an FBI agent
a NATO country (NAYTOH)
an NBA game (ENBEEAY)
an MIT student
Best wishes,
Clive
Joined on
Thu, Oct 28 2004
Canada
Veteran Member
26,465
El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo
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Tancs
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119210
Mon, 18 Jul 05 02:13 AM
Thanks for the replies, now it is getting clearer. So, I say:
an FDA approved drug
an H-bomb
a LASER pointer
an LED light
a ROM memory
an R & D campany
an SAT test
an X-ray machine
Do I get them right? Thanks a bunch!
CS
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khoff
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119252
Mon, 18 Jul 05 06:45 AM
all correct! ![Big Smile [:D]](/emoticons/emotion-2.gif)
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Mister Micawber
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119270
Mon, 18 Jul 05 09:16 AM
You might want to note that there are sometimes options. I almost
corrected 'an SAT test' because it is also pronounced like the past
tense of 'sit'-- making it 'a SAT test'; then I realized that many
people say 'S-A-T'. (You might notice, for instance, that in your
examples 'laser' is pronounced like a word while LED is pronounced as a
series of letters).
Joined on
Wed, Aug 4 2004
Yokohama
Veteran Member
26,613
'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master-- that's all.'
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Anonymous,
3 yr 126 days ago
A and an signal that the noun modified is indefinite, referring to any member of a group. These indefinite articles are used with singular nouns when the noun is general; the corresponding indefinite quantity word some is used for plural general nouns. The rule is:
- a + singular noun beginning with a consonant: a boy
- an + singular noun beginning with a vowel: an elephant
- a + singular noun beginning with a consonant sound: a user (sounds like 'yoo-zer,' i.e. begins with a consonant 'y' sound, so 'a' is used)
- some + plural noun: some girls
If the noun is modified by an adjective, the choice between a and an depends on the initial sound of the adjective that immedately follows the article:
- a broken egg
- an unusual problem
- a European country (sounds like 'yer-o-pi-an,' i.e. begins with consonant 'y' sound)
Note also that in English, the indefinite articles are used to indicate membership in a profession, nation, or religion.
- I am a teacher.
- Brian is an Irishman.
- Seiko is a practicing Buddhist.
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