An Xbox

[Q]

That's about the only word I can think of that doesn't follow the vowel rule with 'a' and 'an'

(well besides 'xray')

 

[DangerAardvark]

Because it's pronounced "ex". You also see this with "s". An "ess"UV.

 

[tfinch2]

Originally posted by: Quintox
That's about the only word I can think of that doesn't follow the vowel rule with 'a' and 'an'

(well besides 'xray')

Using a or an depends on the sound that begins the next word, not necessarily that is a vowel or not.

Example: a European

 

[Brainonska511]

Phonetically, it's "Ex"-box

 

[Yzzim]

Originally posted by: tfinch2

Originally posted by: Quintox
That's about the only word I can think of that doesn't follow the vowel rule with 'a' and 'an'

(well besides 'xray')

Using a or an depends on the sound that begins the next word, not necessarily that is a vowel or not.

Example: a European

an Unicorn?

 

[BlackTigers]

Originally posted by: Quintox
That's about the only word I can think of that doesn't follow the vowel rule with 'a' and 'an'

(well besides 'xray')

If you pronounced it za-box (xylophone?) then it'd b "a".

 

[tfinch2]

Originally posted by: Yzzim

Originally posted by: tfinch2

Originally posted by: Quintox
That's about the only word I can think of that doesn't follow the vowel rule with 'a' and 'an'

(well besides 'xray')

Using a or an depends on the sound that begins the next word, not necessarily that is a vowel or not.

Example: a European

an Unicorn?

Did you even read what I wrote?

Unicorn begins with a vowel, but not a vowel sound.

 

[ObiDon]

what i want to know is why we repeatedly see an "a" before "100" or "$100"
"i bought a backpack and it cost a $100."

 

[Vehemence]

Originally posted by: ObiDon
what i want to know is why we repeatedly see an "a" before "100" or "$100"
"i bought a backpack and it cost a $100."

"A" is sometimes interchanged with "one"

 

[newb111]

Originally posted by: ObiDon
what i want to know is why we repeatedly see an "a" before "100" or "$100"
"i bought a backpack and it cost a $100."

Because a = 1

They say "a hundred" instead of "one hundred"

 

[ObiDon]

Originally posted by: newb111

Originally posted by: ObiDon
what i want to know is why we repeatedly see an "a" before "100" or "$100"
"i bought a backpack and it cost a $100."

Because a = 1

They say "a hundred" instead of "one hundred"

yes, but "$100" means "one-hundred dollars. you don't say "a one-hundred dollars."

 

[destrekor]

Originally posted by: ObiDon
what i want to know is why we repeatedly see an "a" before "100" or "$100"
"i bought a backpack and it cost a $100."

you're writing it wrong
"and it cost a hundred dollars"
versus
"and it cost a one hundred dollars"

which is it? Because I've never heard anyone say the latter, but even I've said the former... on many occasions.

 

[destrekor]

Originally posted by: ObiDon

Originally posted by: newb111

Originally posted by: ObiDon
what i want to know is why we repeatedly see an "a" before "100" or "$100"
"i bought a backpack and it cost a $100."

Because a = 1

They say "a hundred" instead of "one hundred"

yes, but "$100" means "one-hundred dollars. you don't say "a one-hundred dollars."

are you referring to type, or speech? I've yet to see that in text, but I wouldn't doubt it either, because people might be confused and would rather type '100' instead of 'hundred', forgetting that they would be pronounced differently.

Unless, of course, the sentence is "I found a $100 bill!"

 

[ObiDon]

Originally posted by: destrekor

Originally posted by: ObiDon
what i want to know is why we repeatedly see an "a" before "100" or "$100"
"i bought a backpack and it cost a $100."

you're writing it wrong
"and it cost a hundred dollars"
versus
"and it cost a one hundred dollars"

which is it? Because I've never heard anyone say the latter, but even I've said the former... on many occasions.

that's exactly my point! i purposely gave that as a bad example.
people on these forums (not in spoken language) do it that way all the time.

 

[z0mb13]

English is not my native tongue but I learned this a longgg time ago back in primary school

You guys suck

Another example: A university

 

[Vehemence]

I also thought the subtitle for the topic was Why the hanh?

 

[AstroManLuca]

An hour.

 

[newb111]

Originally posted by: ObiDon

Originally posted by: destrekor

Originally posted by: ObiDon
what i want to know is why we repeatedly see an "a" before "100" or "$100"
"i bought a backpack and it cost a $100."

you're writing it wrong
"and it cost a hundred dollars"
versus
"and it cost a one hundred dollars"

which is it? Because I've never heard anyone say the latter, but even I've said the former... on many occasions.

that's exactly my point! i purposely gave that as a bad example.
people on these forums (not in spoken language) do it that way all the time.

I have never seen anyone write it "a $100"

 

[Atheus]

I am so bored.

 

[Born2bwire]

Try to say "a xbox" or "an unicorn" outloud and get back to us.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Originally posted by: Quintox
That's about the only word I can think of that doesn't follow the vowel rule with 'a' and 'an'

(well besides 'xray')

I don't give an F what you think about English. You are going to have an H-E-L-L of a time expalining yourself.

Ef
Eich
El
Em
En
Arrrrrr
Es
Ecks

Scrabble is fun. I only know some of hte letters, but knowing the ef, em, en and el are words is very useful. Along with aa, a type of lava flow.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Originally posted by: newb111

Originally posted by: ObiDon
what i want to know is why we repeatedly see an "a" before "100" or "$100"
"i bought a backpack and it cost a $100."

Because a = 1

They say "a hundred" instead of "one hundred"

They say a hundred because hundred starts wit ha consonant. And your example is not even proper english ... congrats on that.

 

[AbAbber2k]

Because you sound like a retard if you say "a xbox".

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Originally posted by: z0mb13
English is not my native tongue but I learned this a longgg time ago back in primary school

You guys suck

Another example: A university

U as in you-na-ver-sit-ee?

You do see why it is "a university" I hope.

 

[Nik]

Originally posted by: Quintox
That's about the only word I can think of that doesn't follow the vowel rule with 'a' and 'an'

(well besides 'xray')

The rule is SPOKEN. You decide whether "a" or "an" goes before a word based on how it sounds when you say it, not what letter starts the word.