Thread: Articles before abbreviations

Hi,
What article should I use before abbreviated words? For example, if I am talking about an SMF file, where the SMF abbreviation means "standard MIDI file", should I use "a" or "an"? Letter S is consonant but it is prononced here as [es].

Thanks.

Originally Posted by Sleep

Hi,
What article should I use before abbreviated words? For example, if I am talking about an SMF file, where the SMF abbreviation means "standard MIDI file", should I use "a" or "an"? Letter S is consonant but it is prononced here as [es].

Thanks.

an SMF.

You should always use "an" if the next letter or sound starts with a vowel sound. If words are difficult to pronounce then you will know to use "an" this makes it flow and easier to say.

sometimes this depends.. there are some abbreviations that some people will read as an actual word, and that others will read as individual letters, and the usage of a or an will thus differ..

edit: with your SMF example though, I think everyone would use an. i don't think anyone would try to pronounce that as were it a word.

I was thinking about this and I found a good way of knowing which to use.

First, going with what DDT stated about it flowing, you have to think about the pronounciation of the proceeding letter.

E.g

It's an SMF because you pronounce the first letter and not the word, as 'ess', because it pronounciation-wise, starts with a vowel, this is why it flows more easily.

if the acronym can be said as a word, then do it either way. if you say it out loud to someone and they don't understand you, then spell it out (and use the corresponding article)

Originally Posted by DDT

You should always use "an" if the next letter or sound starts with a vowel sound. If words are difficult to pronounce then you will know to use "an" this makes it flow and easier to say.

Like во время or со мной.

Thanks for your replies. I think I understood the idea

For an example to ewb's post, I see both "an URL" and "a URL", pronounced "an earl" and "a you are el", respectively. Both stand for Uniform Resource Locator (a friendly Internet address).