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My question concerns the use of the articles "a" and "an". ...

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Question by Ron
Submitted on 7/24/2003
Related FAQ: N/A
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My question concerns the use of the articles "a" and "an".  Should they agree with the adjective associated with a noun that it describes or the noun itself?


Answer by John Nowakowski
Submitted on 7/29/2003
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Short answer: The adjective.

I assume you mean something like:

'a/an adjective noun'

I clarify because adjectives are tricky.  There are adjective clauses that follow nouns.  Articles are a type of limiting adjective.  

The staircase.
A king.
An anatomy class.

Recall that the a/an distinction serves no grammatical function in the sense of the words having different meanings.  The decision to use a or an is based on the word that follows.  It makes it easier to speak.

try saying it both ways.
A king.  (correct)
An honest king.  (correct)
A anatomy class. (incorrect)
An anatomy class. (correct)
An good anatomy. (incorrect)

In the incorrect example, it takes more effort to enunciate.

For further reference, try "Transitive Vampire" or "When Words Collide"



 

Answer by shelley parker
Submitted on 8/21/2003
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It's fairly simple.  You use "a" when the next word begins with a consonant. You use "an" when the next word begins with a vowel.
eg: a dog
    an ant

 

Answer by shelley parker
Submitted on 8/21/2003
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... so for adjectives the same applies:
a good answer
an inadequate answer

 

Answer by EMK
Submitted on 6/27/2005
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Is it "a whole 'nother" or "An whole other" or is it "a whole other"?

 

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