"A" or "An"?

[tallyho8]

If the word sounds like other words that begin with e you say an, example: an xray because it starts with the same sound as exit, example, extreme, exotic and so on. You will say an R because words that start with the R sound all start with a vowel such as army, argon, art.

If you are just speaking of a letter and not a word you use an before these letters: a, e, f, h, i, l, m, n, o, r, s, x.
Strangely, you say A u is a vowel and use a for several words that begin with u like a user, a utensil, a ukulele, a unicorn, a unicycle but an uncle, an ulcer, an underdog, an umpire etc. (What's the rule here?)

Contrary to what a previous poster wrote, I would never say an hotel. I go to a hotel.

 

[drssg]

Those are some good points, tallyho8. English is a strange language.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Then Go Have A Hamburger. Is that it? I don't like guessing games.

They say you can read something perfectly well if the words have basically the right letters, but aren't in order.

 

[MoKelly]

Any dis apply to de TXT crap people keep shovin at screen on my little box dat I need readin glasses to look at? Lord I do hope.
Maybe I get one de harem ta program auto reply fer TXT.

Texting is it’s own language. Lots of abbreviations - KK, LOL, ROFLMAO, FWIW, and on and on and on.

Short comments, few punctuations and spelling isn’t required.

I hope your harem is young as texting is a youngin’s game.

MoKelly

 

[hube2]

It really depends on how you pronounce something. In a popular show on TV right now there is a guy that does not say "historic" he says "istoric". "This is an istoric event". In his case the use of "an" is correct because it seems that all H's that begin a word are silent where he hails from, or as he would say "where ee ales from."

 

[Xfaxman]

-------------------
They say you can read something perfectly well if the words have basically the right letters, but aren't in order.

Yep:

I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg.
The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the first and last ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can still raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh?

 

[MoKelly]

Yep:

I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg.
The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the first and last ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can still raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh?

Nope. I couldn’t read. It took too much concentration and made my eyes hurt!

MoKelly

 

[Industrial Toys]

I had trouble reading it too, when concentrating on it. But when I scanned it, I could!

I always like the way yanks say inneristing for interesting.

We have insure ance. You guys have in-surence.

 

[Xfaxman]

This one needs a fast scan. The letters are in the correct order:

F1gur471v3ly 5p34k1ng?

7H15 M3554G3 53RV35 7O PR0V3 H0W 0UR M1ND5 C4N D0 4M4Z1NG 7H1NG5! 1MPR3551V3 7H1NG5! 1N 7H3 B3G1NN1NG 17 WA5 H4RD BU7 N0W, 0N 7H15 LIN3 Y0UR M1ND 1S R34D1NG 17 4U70M471C4LLY W17H 0U7 3V3N 7H1NK1NG 4B0U7 17. B3 PROUD! 0NLY C3R741N P30PL3 C4N R3AD 7H15.

 

[PILOON]

Hmmm...I'm thinking I must prooferdd my work more as I know I've many mistakes. Grammar was not a good subject for me.

LOL, try being bilingual French/English.
French has loads of accents plus q 1/2 dz verb endings.
Then what is ei in one is ie in the other.
Then I tend to spell phonetically rather than by the book.
It does help to have French/English spell check so I minimize my goofs.