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Guest Posted 23 years ago
Grammar
An versus a
Which is the correct usage please:
" I have ordered a / an MRI (magnetic resonance scan) and will review the patient following this."
" I have ordered a / an MRI (magnetic resonance scan) and will review the patient following this."
Top answer
" Rule: With single letters and groups of letters that are pronounced as individual letters, be guided by the pronunciation: a B road, a TUC leader; but an A road, an FA Cup match, an SAS unit (assuming the abbreviations are not mentally expanded to their full forms, which would alter the " Answer I have ordered an MRI… Reference "a" Pocket Fowler's Modern English Usage a, an, called the indefinite article (or, by some grammarians, determiner). In origin, a and its by-form an are versions of the Old English an meaning ‘one’. (1) Before all normal words or diphthongs an is required (an actor, an eagle, an illness, an Old Master, an uncle).
- " Rule: With single letters and groups of letters that are pronounced as individual letters, be guided by the pronunciation: a B road, a TUC leader; but an A road, an FA Cup match, an SAS unit (assuming the abbreviations are not mentally expanded to their full forms, which would alter the " Answer I have ordered an MRI… Reference "a" Pocket Fowler's Modern English Usage a, an, called the indefinite article (or, by some grammarians, determiner).
- In origin, a and its by-form an are versions of the Old English an meaning ‘one’.
- (1) Before all normal words or diphthongs an is required (an actor, an eagle, an illness, an Old Master, an uncle).
- Before a syllable beginning in its written form with a vowel but pronounced with a consonantal sound, a is used (a eulogy, a unit, a use; a one, a once-only).
- Before all consonants except silent h, a is usual: a book, a history, a home, a household name, a memorial service, a puddle, a young man; but, with silent h, an hour, an honour.
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3 Answers
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Hi, you asked
Which is the correct usage please:
" I have ordered a / an MRI (magnetic resonance scan) and will review the patient following this."
Rule: With single letters and groups of letters that are pronounced as individual letters, be guided by the pronunciation: a B road, a TUC leader; but an A road, an FA Cup match, an SAS unit (assuming the abbreviations are not ment
Which is the correct usage please:
" I have ordered a / an MRI (magnetic resonance scan) and will review the patient following this."
Rule: With single letters and groups of letters that are pronounced as individual letters, be guided by the pronunciation: a B road, a TUC leader; but an A road, an FA Cup match, an SAS unit (assuming the abbreviations are not ment
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Actually, the rule is pretty simple: it depends on the *initial *** of the following word. If the sound is consonant, we use "a". If it is a vowel sound, we use "an".
an MP (pronounced "an em pee") = in Britain, a Member of Parliament
See? "A" Member (consonant sound) of Parliament.
What if the abbreviation had been like this:
an MOP (/an em ou pee/)
an MP (pronounced "an em pee") = in Britain, a Member of Parliament
See? "A" Member (consonant sound) of Parliament.
What if the abbreviation had been like this:
an MOP (/an em ou pee/)
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