Reply
Wed 28 Dec, 2011 03:16 am
Hi, I'm not a native English speaker and would like to know what rules apply when using the articles "a" and "an" with acronyms. For instance, would "an SMC" be preferable over "a SMC", given that the acronym starts with a consonant, but is pronounced as starting with a vowel (i.e., "ESS-EM-SEE").
Thanks!
@xwraith,
Yes, if the sound at the beginning of the word is that of a vowell sound, you should use "an" for the indefinite article. This works the other way, as well. An acronym (or any other word) which begins with a vowell, but not with a vowell sound would take the indefinite article "a":
a U.S.A. based organization, for example.
@Setanta,
Setanta wrote:a vowell sound
Correct advice, but I trust it was inadvertence which led you to spell 'vowel' incorrectly...
No, a life-long, persistently repeated error.
@Setanta,
Does it happen with trowel, bowel, towel, rowel (a small spiked wheel at the end of a spur)?
@contrex,
@Setanta, thanks a lot
@Contrex, or maybe (s)he's just a true Simon Cowell fan
Stumble It!
Tweet This
Bookmark on Delicious
Share on Facebook
Share on MySpace