English grammar

[mchpddl1]

hello,
I am trying to see which one is correct, can you suggest?
"an english teacher" or
"a english teacher" ?

Thanks
Barry Chow from Stanley

[Semih_Sayginer]

"an english teacher"

..............

[RaNeN]

An english teacher.

"An" is used when the next word starts with any of the vowels.

Example: Followed by a word not starting with a vowel letter.

A book. A Cue. A Dollar. A Dog

Followed by a word starting with a vowel letter.

An Elephant. An Indian. An Owl.

[Semih_Sayginer]

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/esl/esliart.html

[Nina]

Correct.

Also, the indefinite article "an" is used when the noun following begins with a vowel sound (e.g: an hour) and "a" when the word following begins with a consonant sound (e.g: a yellow ball).

EDIT: of course I could have just posted a link... Thanks Semih.

[RaNeN]

Correct.

Also, the indefinite article "an" is used when the noun following begins with a vowel sound (e.g: an hour) and "a" when the word following begins with a consonant sound (e.g: a yellow ball).

There!!!! I was looking for teacher Nina's explanation . Hopefully student RaNeN also explained it well enough.

[Ellena]

Getting interesting this thread . Keep it going ..teachers .. I m sure i'd learn loads from it .

[Semih_Sayginer]

Getting interesting this thread . Keep it going ..teachers .. I m sure i'd learn loads from it .

whit yee tokkin aboot lolli?

ah ansurd the fred stairturz phost inma riplie, and noo wur aw jist tokkin a bit mair aboot it.

an think that correct

[RaNeN]

whit yee tokkin aboot lolli?

ah ansurd the fred stairturz phost inma riplie, and noo wur aw jist tokkin a bit mair aboot it.

an think that correct

LOL!!!

[Nina]

Cool, we'll be discussing English and other languages!!
I've always wanted to learn the Scoattish grammar! (I hope I didn't misspell that one...)

[Maija]

"An" is used when the next word starts with any of the vowels.

To expand on this: The use of a/an does not depend on the WRITTEN first letter of the next word, but of the first SOUND. For instance words with a silent /h/ as the initial letter.

An honourable thief
A hanged thief (*)

A unique [ju'ni:k] experience
An underdog


* Except for dialects where an initial h is always dropped, like Cockney, but I don't think anyone should take up Cockney just like that
(Sorry, no IPA signs here to describe the pronunciation of honourable.)

EDIT: Right. Go and make a cuppa in the middle of typing up a post and the discussion has evolved like you wouldn't know...!

[Ellena]

whit yee tokkin aboot lolli?

ah ansurd the fred stairturz phost inma riplie, and noo wur aw jist tokkin a bit mair aboot it.

an think that correct

Its English what i had in mind ....err... And who's Fred ?!




PMSL

[Semih_Sayginer]

thurs aN lot of freds own this sight

[Ellena]

thurs aN lot of freds own this sight

this poor fred is messed up now .. yee tokkin funny words here..yee jist puzzled the guy who made fred

[dannyd0g]

Cool, we'll be discussing English and other languages!!
I've always wanted to learn the Scoattish grammar! (I hope I didn't misspell that one...)

Not sure if you've read any of Irvine Welsh's books as you'd be an expert in the Scoatish dialect after reading 'Trainspotting' for example.

Although talking to Semih would be just as good.