“a” vs “an”, c’mon, man!

[eman1200]

I can’t take it anymore. we all know my grammar, punctuation and speling is about the finest PoA has to offer….. but I am absolutely flabbergasted by the repeated misuse of ‘a’ vs ‘an’ and vise versa. SOOOO many incorrect examples, I don’t feel like searching for them all but does this bother anyone else? Holy cr@p I’m about to have an conniption!

- You got A flight review, not AN flight review.

- You didn’t go to AN museum, you went to A museum.

- You didn’t read AN thread on proper grammar, you read A thread.

Here’s an quick summary from the gpt:

“A” vs. “An” – Quick Summary:
• Use “a” before words that begin with a consonant sound.
• Example: a dog, a university (sounds like “you-niversity”)
• Use “an” before words that begin with a vowel sound.
• Example: an apple, an hour (the “h” is silent)

Key Rule: It’s the sound, not the actual letter, that matters.


these are the things that keep me up at night, folks. maybe I should start an thread on correct capitalization as well.

 

[C3flyer]

Eman. I think you are taking things an bit two seriously

 

[Hang 4]

It’s vice versa, not vise

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

I fly an LSA.

 

[midlifeflyer]

 

[Bill]

Only loser’s would start such an thread.

 

[Bob Noel]

I were a engineer, so pbltttttt

 

[MauleSkinner]

eh?

 

[RyanShort1]

Its proof were going downhill as an society.

 

[2-Bit Speed]

Key Rule: It’s the sound, not the actual letter, that matters.

 

[kc4wsd]

Their is always going to be people who think there better than everyone else at grammar! They're is no room for folks like that! I used spell-check on this post, so it has to be correct.

@eman1200 you and I have very similar viewpoints (especially the use of they're, their, and there!), but I'll also add another pet peeve . . . punctuation. I won't post it here, but one NSFW version has to do with an uncle named Jack, and a horse. I'm sure it wouldn't be difficult to find on the internet.

 

[MauleSkinner]

but I'll also add another pet peeve . . . punctuation.

Periods are offensive according to the texting generation(s)

 

[jayhawk74]

I just wish people would spell words correctly so I wouldn't have to guess. For instance the word speling I think eman1200 meant spelling, but who knows.

 

[Racerx]

And if someone uses irregardless...I will lose my ****

 

[eman1200]

I just wish people would spell words correctly so I wouldn't have to guess. For instance the word speling I think eman1200 meant spelling, but who knows.

 

[billsgs126]

Here, here.

And ellipsis!

According to The Chicago Manual of Style, ellipsis should consist of three periods, each separated from its neighbor by a non-breaking space: . . .
If they are at the end of a sentence add a period ( . . ..), exclamation point ( . . .!), or question mark ( . . .?) immediately after the ellipsis.

The misuse of commas!

"Then" is an adverb that refers to time, this then that. "Than" is a conjunction, a Cessna is smaller than an Airbus.

And . . ..

 

[billsgs126]

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

I could care less.

 

[FastEddieB]

Only loser’s would start such an thread.

Get with the plan. It’s “loosers”!

 

[Matthew]

Affect vs effect

 

[Mahneuvers]

...Key Rule: It’s the sound, not the actual letter, that matters...

I was taught the article should match the noun -- use an when the noun starts with a vowel. Your key rule does not always work when there are adjectives in between. For example, "This is a unnecessary thread". Or,
"I have an strong urge to put you on ignore".

 

[FORANE]

Medication could help but @eman1200 might not be able to get an medical.

 

[eman1200]

I was taught the article should match the noun -- use an when the noun starts with a vowel. Your rule does not always work when there are adjectives in between. For example, "This is a unnecessary thread". Or,
"I have an strong urge to put you on ignore".

I actually thought that as well but the more I look into it that doesn’t seem to be the case.

 

[eman1200]

I was taught the article should match the noun -- use an when the noun starts with a vowel. Your key rule does not always work when there are adjectives in between. For example, "This is a unnecessary thread". Or,
"I have an strong urge to put you on ignore".

I actually thought that as well but the more I look into it that doesn’t seem to be the case.

I think I read it wrong, it does depend on the SOUND of the immediate next word regardless if it's an noun or a adjective

 

[Ventucky Red]

 

[asicer]

You didn’t read AN thread

Maybe we're talking about aircraft fasteners.

An Introduction to AN Bolts and Why They Are Used in Airplanes – Blog- Monroe Aerospace

monroeaerospace.com

 

[murphey]

Their is always going to be people who think there better than everyone else at grammar! They're is no room for folks like that! I used spell-check on this post, so it has to be correct.

Are you checking your spells? Or spelling?

@eman1200 you and I have very similar viewpoints (especially the use of they're, their, and there!), but I'll also add another pet peeve . . . punctuation. I won't post it here, but one NSFW version has to do with an uncle named Jack, and a horse. I'm sure it wouldn't be difficult to find on the internet.

Eats shoots and leaves.

 

[midlifeflyer]

I was taught the article should match the noun -- use an when the noun starts with a vowel. Your key rule does not always work when there are adjectives in between. For example, "This is a unnecessary thread". Or,
"I have an strong urge to put you on ignore".

I don't see how that messes with eman's rules. The problem seems to be what you were taught.

• Use “a” before words that begin with a consonant sound.

"words," not "nouns."

This is an unnecessary thread. I have a strong urge . . ..

 

[eman1200]

….This is an unnecessary thread. I have a strong urge . . ..

 

[455 Bravo Uniform]

What if you’re visiting from the UK, have a cockney accent, and Eman won’t let you stay at Sac’s place? You’d just have to just settle for an hotel room.

 

[Mahneuvers]

...The problem seems to be what you were taught...

Damn Jesuits Mostly likely the issue is my recollection.

 

[MauleSkinner]

Damn Jesuits Mostly likely the issue is my recollection.

How many res (not re’s) in your collection?

 

[Racerx]

 

[judypilot]

Don't get me started. As a former professor who actually taught writing (technical writing; I'm actually a geologist, but English departments do not teach technical writing), I could go on and on and on about all this. And, of course, I'm old, so I grew up when these things were emphasized in elementary school and proper English wasn't considered racist and sexist and whatever else -ist.

Over on another forum I'm known as Dr. Spellchick. But I don't impose, just am available for consultation.

And I am a proud advocate of the Oxford comma, which in some quarters makes me equivalent to Satan. I own that.

 

[eman1200]

Don't get me started. As a former professor who actually taught writing (technical writing; I'm actually a geologist, but English departments do not teach technical writing), I could go on and on and on about all this. And, of course, I'm old, so I grew up when these things were emphasized in elementary school and proper English wasn't considered racist and sexist and whatever else -ist.

Over on another forum I'm known as Dr. Spellchick. But I don't impose, just am available for consultation.

And I am a proud advocate of the Oxford comma, which in some quarters makes me equivalent to Satan. I own that.

don't get me wrong.....I could care less about the occasional speling mistake (see what I did there, @jayhawk74 ?) and obviously I'm almost always using internet slang, social media-speak, shortened words, no caps etc... but this is different. I'm trying to be dumb, most other people aren't.

 

[MauleSkinner]

Don't get me started. As a former professor who actually taught writing (technical writing; I'm actually a geologist, but English departments do not teach technical writing), I could go on and on and on about all this. And, of course, I'm old, so I grew up when these things were emphasized in elementary school and proper English wasn't considered racist and sexist and whatever else -ist.

Over on another forum I'm known as Dr. Spellchick. But I don't impose, just am available for consultation.

And I am a proud advocate of the Oxford comma, which in some quarters makes me equivalent to Satan. I own that.

I teach an airplane for which English is a second language, occasionally to people for whom English is a second language. Entertainment at its finest!

 

[ColinD]

 

[SoonerAviator]

Don't get me started. As a former professor who actually taught writing (technical writing; I'm actually a geologist, but English departments do not teach technical writing), I could go on and on and on about all this. And, of course, I'm old, so I grew up when these things were emphasized in elementary school and proper English wasn't considered racist and sexist and whatever else -ist.

Over on another forum I'm known as Dr. Spellchick. But I don't impose, just am available for consultation.

And I am a proud advocate of the Oxford comma, which in some quarters makes me equivalent to Satan. I own that.

You'll have to pry the Oxford comma from my cold, dead hands!

 

[eman1200]

lol that's pretty funny. see, that guy knows what I'm talkin about!

 

[Rich Holt]

Their is always going to be people who think there better than everyone else at grammar! They're is no room for folks like that! I used spell-check on this post, so it has to be correct.

@eman1200 you and I have very similar viewpoints (especially the use of they're, their, and there!), but I'll also add another pet peeve . . . punctuation. I won't post it here, but one NSFW version has to do with an uncle named Jack, and a horse. I'm sure it wouldn't be difficult to find on the internet.

A manager that I worked for once had all of the supervisors read Eats, Shoots & Leaves for "professional" "development." Obviously, I still carry the scars of that summer , but he had a point. People suck at English.