[Grammar] use of a or an before an abbreviation

[panosgr]

Hello all,

I would like to ask, what is the appropriate use of a or an before an abbreviation.

For example, i would say "George provides a AAA service" and would use the preposition "a" instead of "an" although the abbreviation that follows (AAA) starts with a vowel (yes i know that the sound of it also matters).

Is this correct?

I sometimes, for a weird unconscious reason, take into consideration how the next word of the abbreviation starts, if the abbreviation characterizes the noun that follows. i don't know if this is correct though..

Can someone shed a light here?

thanks a lot!

 

[bhaisahab]

Hello all,

I would like to ask, what is the appropriate use of a or an before an abbreviation.

For example, i would say "George provides a AAA service" and would use the preposition "a" instead of "an" although the abbreviation that follows (AAA) starts with a vowel (yes i know that the sound of it also matters).

Is this correct?

I sometimes, for a weird unconscious reason, take into consideration how the next word of the abbreviation starts, if the abbreviation characterizes the noun that follows. i don't know if this is correct though..

Can someone shed a light here?

thanks a lot!

It should be "an AAA..."

 

[panosgr]

an AAA hah?

bugger.... and i was sure about that....

 

[panosgr]

hold on a minute though... how do you read AAA in the aforementioned sentence?

in computer science AAA is commonly pronounced as "triple a" is this the reason why it comes more naturally to me to use a instead of an?

in the end, if i pronounce it triple a what should i use?

in addition what should i use when i write it?

 

[Raymott]

hold on a minute though... how do you read AAA in the aforementioned sentence?

in computer science AAA is commonly pronounced as "triple a" is this the reason why it comes more naturally to me to use a instead of an?

in the end, if i pronounce it triple a what should i use?

in addition what should i use when i write it?

These are the only rules you need:
1. You use 'an' before a vowel sound.
2. You use 'a' before a consonant sound.

an /eI eI eI/
a /trIpl eI/

For writing, you write it the way you say it. "an AAA; a triple A."

 

[panosgr]

thanks a lot, that makes more sense ;-)