# "a" vs "an" before an initialism (e.g. SDMB). Which is correct? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 26, 2020, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vs-an-before-an-initialism-e-g-sdmb-which-is-correct/928925 "2020-12-26T01:39:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2020, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vs-an-before-an-initialism-e-g-sdmb-which-is-correct/928925/1 "2020-12-26T01:39:43Z")
I asked my GF, who is a professional editor, if I should write, “I read _an_ SDMB post” or if I should write, “I read _a_ SDMB post”. She told me it was tricky. If you read it as “SDMB” then “an” is appropriate. But, if you expand the initialism in your head to “Straight Dope Message Board” then “a” is correct. E.G. “I read _a_ Straight Dope Message Board post.” She thought “an” was the better choice since “SDMB” is what is on the page. What you do in your head is your own problem. Opinions? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2020, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vs-an-before-an-initialism-e-g-sdmb-which-is-correct/928925/2 "2020-12-26T01:48:38Z")
Agree with her. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2020, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vs-an-before-an-initialism-e-g-sdmb-which-is-correct/928925/4 "2020-12-26T01:56:30Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Agree with her. Always good policy. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2020, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vs-an-before-an-initialism-e-g-sdmb-which-is-correct/928925/5 "2020-12-26T02:18:38Z")
I also agree with her – you use “a” or “an” based on what is written and how it’s normally spoken. If the intent is to expand an initialism to its original words, it would (or should) be written that way. There might be some acronym that is an exception – an initialism pronounced as a word – but any acronym I can think of that begins with a vowel is also a set of words beginning with a vowel, and hence requires “an”. I must say that using “a” instead of “an” in written English where “an” would normally be spoken is one of my particular annoyances. I find it just grating. Some actually speak that way, which is even worse, but only marginally. Both are fingernails-on-a-chalkboard annoying. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2020, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vs-an-before-an-initialism-e-g-sdmb-which-is-correct/928925/6 "2020-12-26T02:19:07Z")
I have no idea what the correct usage should be, but what sounds right to me me depends on if the word following a / an begins with a vowel or a consonant. I use a (first letter of the word is a consonant) and an (first letter of the word is a vowel). So it’s an SDMB post and a Straight Dope Message Board post, since SDMB begins with a short e when spoken. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2020, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vs-an-before-an-initialism-e-g-sdmb-which-is-correct/928925/7 "2020-12-26T02:37:39Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > I must say that using “a” instead of “an” in written English where “an” would normally be spoken is one of my particular annoyances. I find it just grating. Some actually speak that way, which is even worse, but only marginally. Both are fingernails-on-a-chalkboard annoying. I’m with you on this one. Count me as a “me too.” ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2020, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vs-an-before-an-initialism-e-g-sdmb-which-is-correct/928925/8 "2020-12-26T02:43:18Z")
I agree. If it were something on, say, the BBC, it would be “a”. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2020, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vs-an-before-an-initialism-e-g-sdmb-which-is-correct/928925/9 "2020-12-26T02:45:05Z")
> [@Paintcharge](#): > > If it were something on, say, the BBC, it would be “a”. Can you expand on this? Not sure what you mean. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2020, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vs-an-before-an-initialism-e-g-sdmb-which-is-correct/928925/10 "2020-12-26T02:46:33Z")
Sometimes as a reader I use the “a” or “an” as a guide to tell me how the writer intended an initialism to be read/understood. So to me, either is correct, and it’s a part of what the writer is trying to convey to me. ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2020, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vs-an-before-an-initialism-e-g-sdmb-which-is-correct/928925/11 "2020-12-26T03:13:00Z")
I would say “an SMDB post” vs “a BBC article.” If the initial sound is a vowel, use an, if it it a consonant, use a. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2020, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vs-an-before-an-initialism-e-g-sdmb-which-is-correct/928925/12 "2020-12-26T04:11:08Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Can you expand on this? Not sure what you mean. An Ess Dee Em Bee. A Bee Bee Cee. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2020, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vs-an-before-an-initialism-e-g-sdmb-which-is-correct/928925/13 "2020-12-26T04:28:30Z")
The rule exists so you don’t have the weak vowel of the word “a” next to another vowel sound. Hence I expect “an” in front of any initialism or acronym that is pronounced starting with a vowel, and “a” otherwise. So, yes, “an SDMB post” and “a BBC article.” I switch back and forth between “a URL” and “an URL” depending on how I pronounce those letters. I can’t think of an example offhand where I would actually say what the acronym/initialism stands for if I were reading the text aloud, but I do know I’ve encountered that occasionally. The closest I can think of offhand is that I pronounce “w/e” as whatever. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2020, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vs-an-before-an-initialism-e-g-sdmb-which-is-correct/928925/14 "2020-12-26T04:30:21Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > I must say that using “a” instead of “an” in written English where “an” would normally be spoken is one of my particular annoyances. I find it just grating. I despise the “A” vs “An” especially in corner cases like words that begin with H, when in Brit Eng the H is dropped. I just use "a’ all the time. Does it impair understanding at all? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2020, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vs-an-before-an-initialism-e-g-sdmb-which-is-correct/928925/15 "2020-12-26T04:37:22Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > The rule exists There _are_ **no**"rules’ in American English. The french have a national board which attempts to control grammar, etc. But the USA does not. Any “rule” is simply some persons opinion. Note that style guides often disagree. [https://www.wesleyan.edu/communications/styleguide/editorial.html](https://www.wesleyan.edu/communications/styleguide/editorial.html) \*There are many style guide books, and it’s not uncommon for them to disagree with each other. For this reason, institutions settle on one guide and use it for all their text editing. The Office of Publications uses the _Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition_ . Our standard reference for spelling questions is _Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary_ . The _Wesleyan_ magazine, however, adopts some conventions from the Associated Press style guide. _Just as language itself is always changing, so matters of style are in constant flux. Successive editions of the Chicago Manual reflect the major trends. For example, the current edition suggests that it is acceptable to do away with the commas that previously bracketed suffixes like “Jr.” and “Sr.” after people’s names. It is not uncommon for all of us (even editors) to encounter rules that are not like what we learned in school!_ > **[Style Wars: Chicago Manual of Style vs. AP Style](https://www.prnewsonline.com/chicago-versus-ap-style)** > > Learn the major differences between Chicago and AP Style guides to assist your writing. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2020, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vs-an-before-an-initialism-e-g-sdmb-which-is-correct/928925/16 "2020-12-26T05:18:17Z")
> [@Paintcharge](#): > > If the initial sound is a vowel, use an, if it it a consonant, use a. Exactly. It’s the sound that begins the following word that is important. If it is a vowel sound, you use _an_. If it is a consonant sound, you use _a_. **Colibri** has given us a couple of excellent examples, but I’ll offer another. Of the following, which works better: 1. An European … 2. A European … Example 2 does, because in spite of the word “European” starting with two vowels in written form, it begins with a consonant sound: _yer-o-pee-an_. It’s the sound that’s important; not the spelling. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2020, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vs-an-before-an-initialism-e-g-sdmb-which-is-correct/928925/17 "2020-12-26T05:28:02Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I just use "a’ all the time. Does it impair understanding at all? It will make you sound uneducated, so people may dismiss what you say. If you don’t care about that, go ahead. Do you really say [“a apple”](https://youtu.be/W_dE9aY0phE?t=148)? You may have a career in comedy. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2020, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vs-an-before-an-initialism-e-g-sdmb-which-is-correct/928925/18 "2020-12-26T05:52:52Z")
It is hard to say it, easy to write it. It is a stupid vestige of English along with irregular plurals. We hafta let some of this outdated crap go. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2020, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vs-an-before-an-initialism-e-g-sdmb-which-is-correct/928925/19 "2020-12-26T05:56:51Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > It is hard to say it, Actually, the reason the distinction exists is because it is easier to say “an” before a vowel than “a.” Similar kinds of variants are found in other languages. For example, in Spanish _agua_ (water) is feminine and should take the article _la_. However, it’s _el agua_ because that’s easier to say. (But it’s _las aguas_ in the plural.) An interesting example is the word “apron,” which was originally “napron.” But it changed from “a napron” to “an apron” as the “n” migrated to the article from the noun. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2020, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vs-an-before-an-initialism-e-g-sdmb-which-is-correct/928925/20 "2020-12-26T06:12:34Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > It is a stupid vestige of English The strange thing is that you seem to think that this is an arbitrary rule in English, rather than a natural consequence of the way people speak. In speech, words don’t exist in isolation, but their pronunciation often varies depending on the sounds present in the words before or after them. Most English speakers will instinctively use one or the other form of the article based on the pronunciation of the word that follows. The “rule” is observational; it’s based on what people actually do, rather an an a priori regulation. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2020, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vs-an-before-an-initialism-e-g-sdmb-which-is-correct/928925/21 "2020-12-26T06:14:50Z")
Hungarian has almost the exact same thing as English except with the definite article. It’s “a” before consonant sounds and “az” before vowels. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-vs-an-before-an-initialism-e-g-sdmb-which-is-correct/928925.md?page=2)