A/An/The Problem How to Use Them?

[Hawwtbill]

A/An/The Problem How to Use Them?Please Help?? :cry: :cry:

[Kitosdad]

Use an before any word that starts with a vowel, or whose first letter is "silent". for example, hotel, honest, honour. ( Where the second letter is a vowel.)

Use a before all others.

KITOSDAD.
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[Hawwtbill]

Thanks!And What ABout The Difference between "nonsense or no sense and please tell the meaning of nonsense and no sense Thanks

[Torsten]

Hi Hawwtbill,

Please read this: What is a meaningful title? and start a new topic for every question.

Many thanks,
Torsten

TOEIC listening, question-response: Are you the new accountant from the head office?

[Kitosdad]

" What you are saying makes no sense at all."

" You are talking nonsense.!! "
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[Infin1ty]

Hello Hawwtbill,

I think this article will help: Articles--both definite and indefinite. By the way, the search function can find quite a bit of useful materials for you.
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[InsaneMetal]

[Kitosdad]

Correct.
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[Nick*]

Hello everyone,

When referring to a single letter of the alphabet, we use the indefinite article “an” regardless of the vowels or consonants. For example : an “A”, an “C”, an “I”, an “M”, an “Q”, an “T” . . . etc. Is this correct? Why, or why not?

Best regards,

____________________
Nick*
Teaching and learning are beneficial to each other

[Alan]

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Hi Nick,

The use of 'an' is before a vowel sound and not the letter. The reason is that it is easier to say 'an' before a vowel sound than the article 'a'. That's why we say: An elephant/an honest man/an 'M'.

There is no need to use 'an' before the letters 'c', 'q' or 't'.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Present Simple

[Kitosdad]

Hi Nick, I do follow your train of thought, but I must add that there are no words I can think of starting with M, Q, or T that could be preceded with an.

We can only ignore the first letter if it is " silent " in normal speech.

Hope all is well with you. Business good ?.

Kitosdad.
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[Nick*]

Hi, Alan and Kitosdad,

Thank you very much for your quick responses. I do understand that under normal circumstances the use of “an” is based on the vowel sound and not the letters. My question is that I have heard somebody use the article “an” in front of any one of the 26 alphabets when the single letter is treated as a “single word” especially when they use a flash card to teach the children to memorize the alphabets individually.

For example :

“This is an A”
“This is an B”
“This is an C”
“This is an D”
“This is an E”
.
.
.
“This is an X”
“This is an Y”
“This is an Z”

Please refer to the following web sites “

http://mmarchive.rockhamptonregion.qld.gov.au/cemetery.html
http://dawnscrafts.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=18_74

Any comment or suggestions ?

Many thanks.

____________________
Nick*
Teaching and learning are beneficial to each other

[InsaneMetal]

Wow I have never seen that before! O_O

[Kitosdad]

Nor I Nick, but in fairness it is describing a letter, not a word.

Perhaps Alan or Mr. Micawber have come across this during their careers. I've never.

Kitosdad.
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[Alan]

Hi Nick,

You want my comment? I would say the use of 'an' before letters such as 'C', 'D' or 'Y' is plain potty, bonkers and barmy.

Alan
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English as a Foreign Language
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