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Do you use an before an acronym beginning with H?
It is important to remember H is a vowel-sounding word because it is pronounced “aitch” and starts with an A sound. Acronyms that start with the sound of a consonant, you will use A before the acronym.
Do you write a or an before H?
For the letter “H”, the pronunciation dictates the indefinite article: Use “a” before words where you pronounce the letter “H” such as “a hat,” “a house” or “a happy cat.” Use “an” before words where you don’t pronounce the letter “H” such as “an herb,” “an hour,” or “an honorable man.”
Do you say an before an acronym?
Acronyms are rarely preceded by a or an, except when used adjectivally, says the Chicago Manual of Style. If you have to use an acronym with an indefinite article, the way an acronym is read aloud determines which indefinite article precedes it. Use an before acronyms beginning with a vowel sound.
Which article is used before abbreviations?
indefinite article
When an indefinite article is needed immediately before an abbreviation, the pronunciation of the abbreviation determines whether ‘a’ or ‘an’ should be used. ‘A’ is the correct choice before abbreviations beginning with a consonant sound, including a vowel pronounced as a ‘w’ or ‘y’ sound.
Do you say a RN or an RN?
The rule of thumb is usually A before consonants and AN before vowels. BUT — when consonants make vowels sounds, you use AN, and when vowels make consonant sounds, use A. So, the real way to tell is to listen to the sound. In this case, RN makes a vowel sound, so it would be “an” RN.
What article we use before information A or an?
The definite article (the) is used before a noun to indicate that the identity of the noun is known to the reader. The indefinite article (a, an) is used before a noun that is general or when its identity is not known….Definite and Indefinite Articles (a, an, the)
| COUNT NOUNS | NON-COUNT NOUNS | |
|---|---|---|
| Rule #3 All things or things in general | (no article) | (no article) |
Do you use ‘an’ before or after acronyms?
The acronyms you mentioned both begin with vowel sounds (/ ɛ f.tiˈeɪ̯/, / ɛ fˈsiː/), so an is used before them. There are also words and acronyms that begin with a vowel letter, but not with a vowel sound: a UAV (/ j u.eɪ̯ˈviː/), a union (/ˈ j uːnjən/).
What are the rules for writing acronyms?
Finally, the rule applies to acronyms as well. If you pronounce a letter as a letter and it begins with a vowel sound, you should precede it with an. The consonants with vowel sounds include f, h, l, m, n, r, s, and x.
Is it correct to use ‘an’ before or after a vowel?
Original answer: It is exactly as you said: an is used before words beginning with a vowel sound, not necessarily a vowel letter. The acronyms you mentioned both begin with vowel sounds (/ɛf.tiˈeɪ̯/, /ɛfˈsiː/), so an is used before them.
What words start with a or an?
If the word begins with a consonant sound you would use a, such as “a dog” and “a balloon,” as well as “a one” and “a unicorn.”. If the word begins with a vowel sound, use an, such as in “an honorable man,” and with spoken acronyms like “an FBI agent.”. Words like “historic,” with a pronounced “H” can use either a or an.