http://www.englishforums.com/English/EslGeneralEnglishGrammar-Questions/Forum12.htmAsk your questions on grammar and get your sentence checked. We answer lots of different types of general English grammar questions here. <font color=red>DO NOT post paragraphs and compositions here. Post them in our <a href="http://www.englishforums.com/English/EssayReportCompositionWriting/Forum9.htm"><b>Essay, Report and Composition Writing Forum</b></a>.</font>enXMOD (Build: 3607.32596)http://www.englishforums.com/English/AAcronymsAbbrevation/bhvgj/post.htm#202171Wed, 22 Apr 2009 04:53:31 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:202171Anonymous0http://www.englishforums.com/English/AAcronymsAbbrevation/bhvgj/post.htm#202171http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-202171.xmlA 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 b oy an + singular noun beginning with a vowel : an e lephant a + singular noun beginning with a consonant sound : a u ser (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 b roken...http://www.englishforums.com/English/AAcronymsAbbrevation/bhvgj/post.htm#119270Thu, 22 Jan 2009 05:53:31 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:119270Mister Micawber1http://www.englishforums.com/English/AAcronymsAbbrevation/bhvgj/post.htm#119270http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-119270.xmlYou 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).http://www.englishforums.com/English/AAcronymsAbbrevation/bhvgj/post.htm#119252Wed, 22 Apr 2009 04:53:31 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:119252khoff2http://www.englishforums.com/English/AAcronymsAbbrevation/bhvgj/post.htm#119252http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-119252.xmlall correct!http://www.englishforums.com/English/AAcronymsAbbrevation/bhvgj/post.htm#119210Thu, 22 Jan 2009 05:53:31 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:119210Tancs3http://www.englishforums.com/English/AAcronymsAbbrevation/bhvgj/post.htm#119210http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-119210.xmlThanks 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 &amp; D campany an SAT test an X-ray machine Do I get them right? Thanks a bunch! CShttp://www.englishforums.com/English/AAcronymsAbbrevation/bhvgj/post.htm#119194Wed, 22 Apr 2009 04:53:31 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:119194Clive4http://www.englishforums.com/English/AAcronymsAbbrevation/bhvgj/post.htm#119194http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-119194.xmlHi 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, Clivehttp://www.englishforums.com/English/AAcronymsAbbrevation/bhvgj/post.htm#119192Sun, 22 Mar 2009 05:53:31 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:119192khoff5http://www.englishforums.com/English/AAcronymsAbbrevation/bhvgj/post.htm#119192http://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-119192.xmlI 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 countryhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/AAcronymsAbbrevation/bhvgj/post.htmWed, 22 Apr 2009 04:53:31 GMT946f00bb-57d3-4b7b-a9a2-059b5341af52:119179Tancs6http://www.englishforums.com/English/AAcronymsAbbrevation/bhvgj/post.htmhttp://www.englishforums.com/English/comments12-119179.xmlHi 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