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on the use of "a" and "an"


carol

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if UMS is a single word then it`s "an" ums, if a You Em Es then it`s an "A"

 

the basic rule of them is that if the following WORD, stats with a Vowel then it`s preceeded with "AN" if it`s a Consonant the "A" is correct.

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However, there are exceptions; not all "u" words go with "an"

 

"a universal mating system" not "an universal mating system"

 

"a unified front" not "an unified front"

 

The first syllable is pronounced "you," so you use "a"

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if UMS is a single word then it`s "an" ums, if a You Em Es then it`s an "A"

 

also, if the word is going to be expanded when read, it's whatever the expansion would take.

 

eg, if it's 'urban middle school' and you're intending it to be pronounced as such, it'd be 'an UMS'.

 

what is UMS? i be intregued...

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some words can be pronounced with or without the 'h':

 

a hotel, a historic, a herb; an 'otel, an 'istoric, an 'erb.

 

so with those words, you can (afaik) write a or an: a historic or an historic.

 

but if you actually say " an historic ", then you are a moron :P

 

like people who pronounce 'h' as 'haitch' in order to sound posh.

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actually i am only faced with a similar problem. i am confused whether to use "to conduct a USG Mass Induction Program" or "to conduct an USG Mass Induction Program". USG there stands for University Student Government.

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