Hello ladies and gents!!

Can anyone please explain the use of "AN" and not "A" in this sentence below.

Dear customers,you will receive 'an'
SMS with your data balance shortly.

Airtel always show me this sentence anytime I try to check my data balance I thought the correct word there should be 'A' SMS instead of "AN" SMS .

I'm confuse, you guys should help me out..

Thanks in anticipation

MICHAELSERIOUSB:
[color=#550000][/color]

bro you know even sabi scam. Which club or country they play match for this covid19 issue.

Words that start with consonant will take "a"
Words that start with vowels will take "an"

"A" is a vowel so "An Apple"
"B" is consonant so "A Ball"

Thats how it is

The person that typed that message didnt do english in school

Makavelli25:
Words that start with consonant will take "a"
Words that start with vowels will take "an"

"A" is a vowel so "An Apple"
"B" is consonant so "A Ball"

Thats how it is

The person that typed that message didnt do english in school

Pronounce the word 'SMS' verbally and you might notice why it's 'an' and not 'a'

Words with a vowel sound are preceded with the article "an". And words with a consonant sound are preceded with the article "a".

Thus, "S" in that sentence has the vowel sound "e". It is pronounced as /es/. Therefore, the sentence is correct.

To further explain, take the letter /U/ in the following words;

Umbrella and Uniform. In "Umbrella" the letter /U/ has a vowel sound, while in "Uniform" it has a consonant sound. Same letter but different sounds. Consequently, when using any in a sentence you would have "an umbrella" and "a uniform".

In conclusion, the sound, and not the letter, of the first letter of a word determines the article to be used.

I hope this helps.

Modified:
I thank everyone that mentioned me for their feedbacks. We are all learners.

Aquilapriscilla:


Good day, plesse do you know anyapp or site that i could use to improve my English?
Thank you

Good day!

I'm sorry, I do not know of any app nor site that I can recommend. However, search play store and you may find what you need.

Also, you can install grammarly in your PC to aid your written English.

Finally, anytime you feel unsure about a grammar ask Google. It has vast resources and materials. Indeed, you may ask Google for the best site or app to improve your English.

Warm regards.

Jackossky:



Pronounce the word 'SMS' verbally and you might notice why it's 'an' and not 'a'

S m S i dont get it bro

The use of 'an' in that sentence is correct. 'a' is used in words starting in consonant words/sounds, while 'an' is used with words starting with vowel words/sounds.
In this sentence, SMS is transcribed as
/es-em-es/. When pronouncing it, vowel is the first sound being pronounced.
Another example, honour /ɒnə/ we use 'an' when pronouncing honour. eg; It was an honour to be here.

Makavelli25:
S m S i dont get it bro

eS M eS

cingelai:
The use of 'an' in that sentence is correct. 'a' is used in words starting in consonant words/sounds, while 'an' is used with words starting with vowel words/sounds.
In this sentence, SMS is transcribed as
/es-em-es/. When pronouncing it, vowel is the first sound being pronounced.
Another example, honour /ɒnə/ we use 'an' when pronouncing honour. eg; It was an honour to be here.

Op, you can take this to the bank.

Makavelli25:
Words that start with consonant will take "a"
Words that start with vowels will take "an"

"A" is a vowel so "An Apple"
"B" is consonant so "A Ball"

Thats how it is

The person that typed that message didnt do english in school

Look who scaled through school. He is even abusive with no manners. You are just embarrassing yourself.




At OP[Honest2], It's pronounced 'ESS EM ESS', which starts with a vowel, so I would say 'an SMS', and I can't imagine that I would write it differently.

Kylekent59:



Look who scaled through school. He is even abusive with no manners. You are just embarrassing yourself.




At OP[Honest2], It's pronounced 'ESS EM ESS', which starts with a vowel, so I would say 'an SMS', and I can't imagine that I would write it differently.

Wow,now i get
We learn everyday my brother

No need for the insult

You can choose to remove both " n or a "And the sentence will still flow, tactically dodging the wahala

To every rule there are exceptions
I think it's for the ease of pronunciation......
Look at word like "uniform"... Ordinarily it should be AN " uniform "
But I think the correct usage is A because of the pronunciation
There are rules like that in languages... e.g arabiyah

MrBachelor:
Words with a vowel sound are preceded with the article "an". And words with a consonant sound are preceded with the article "a".

Thus, "S" in that sentence has the vowel sound "e". It is pronounced as /es/. Therefore, the sentence is correct.

To further explain, take the letter /U/ in the following words;

Umbrella and Uniform. In "Umbrella" the letter /U/ has a vowel sound, while in "Uniform" it has a consonant sound. Same letter but different sounds. Consequently, when using any in a sentence you would have "an umbrella" and "a uniform".

In conclusion, the sound, and not the letter, of the first letter of a word determines the article to be used.

I hope this helps.

This makes a lot sense to me and I agree.

I saw it coming.

Yustash001:
To every rule there are exceptions
I think it's for the ease of pronunciation......
Look at word like "uniform"... Ordinarily it should be AN " uniform "
But I think the correct usage is A because of the pronunciation
There are rules like that in languages... e.g arabiyah

This is not even a case of exception. The rule says "an" is used before words that start with vowel sounds while "a" is used before words that start with consonant sounds. Note that it is the first sound of the word that matters not the first letter. The word "SMS" clearly starts with a vowel sound /e/ and that's makes it clear why "an" is used.

Kylekent59:



Look who scaled through school. He is even abusive with no manners. You are just embarrassing yourself.




At OP[Honest2], It's pronounced 'ESS EM ESS', which starts with a vowel, so I would say 'an SMS', and I can't imagine that I would write it differently.

what's 'ESS EM ESS',??

Honest2:




what's 'ESS EM ESS',??

Don't tell me you haven't read what a guy commented above.

It's all about the sound.

Makavelli25:
Words that start with consonant will take "a"
Words that start with vowels will take "an"

"A" is a vowel so "An Apple"
"B" is consonant so "A Ball"

Thats how it is

The person that typed that message didnt do english in school

An SMS is the correct one because the word "SMS" begins with a vowel sound when it is pronounced.
Another perfect example is "an hour". Hour is typically pronounced with a silent H - an hour.
Therefore, "An" depends on pronounciation, not spelling.

Jackossky:



Pronounce the word 'SMS' verbally and you might notice why it's 'an' and not 'a'

‘A sms’ sound somehow na

In case of SMS, you actually would need to deal with the sound. It was pronounced as a bowel sound.

Same way you can't call "a honour" same way you can't say "A SMS"

It is pronounced as "an honour" and "An SMS"

The " és" in the initial of the acronym is is subject of the debate.

So, it is an SMS
An honour etc.

Makavelli25:
Words that start with consonant will take "a"
Words that start with vowels will take "an"

"A" is a vowel so "An Apple"
"B" is consonant so "A Ball"

Thats how it is

The person that typed that message didnt do english in school

Mr op, instead of you to state your concern and wait for others to give their take on it, you dey here dey abuse another
person say she no school. Na for primary 4 dey teach us consonant and vowel sound and how the first two words determines the sound

Yustash001:
To every rule there are exceptions
I think it's for the ease of pronunciation......
Look at word like "uniform"... Ordinarily it should be AN " uniform "
But I think the correct usage is A because of the pronunciation
There are rules like that in languages... e.g arabiyah

Nope , the "U" in uniform begins with /ju/ sound pronounced as "yuuuu" as in "you". Y [ pronounced as *yii* and not *why* ] is a consonant, literally speaking. So you must say "A uniform" . Same goes for "Eunuch", starts with an "A"....

etrange:


This is not even a case of exception. The rule says "an" is used before words that start with vowel sounds while "a" is used before words that start with consonant sounds. Note that it is the first sound of the word that matters not the first letter. The word "SMS" clearly starts with a vowel sound /e/ and that's makes it clear why "an" is used.

makavele:


Nope , the "U" in uniform begins with /ju/ sound pronounced as "yuuuu" as in "you". Y [ pronounced as *yii* and not *why* ] is a consonant, literally speaking. So you must say "A uniform" . Same goes for "Eunuch", starts with an "A"....

Thanks....Now I get it better... I was actually speaking from my primary school knowledge..

Answers have been supplied by intelligent people up there. Thanks
but in addition there are some words that take both 'a' and 'an'
example is habitue

whatever word whose phonetics starts with a vowel sound goes with ""an""

eS eM eS not Si M Si

Honest2:
Hello ladies and gents!!

Can anyone please explain the use of "AN" and not "A" in this sentence below.

Dear customers,you will receive 'an'
SMS with your data balance shortly.

Airtel always show me this sentence anytime I try to check my data balance I thought the correct word there should be 'A' SMS instead of "AN" SMS .

I'm confuse, you guys should help me out..

Thanks in anticipation

SMS is pronounced as "ES EM S". Hence, the vowel sound "E" goes with definite article "an"

The use of a or an is a function of sound not spelling

Makavelli25:
Words that start with consonant will take "a"
Words that start with vowels will take "an"

"A" is a vowel so "An Apple"
"B" is consonant so "A Ball"

Thats how it is

The person that typed that message didnt do english in school

The word is ESEMES.

Well.. I know one thing! "an" is used on words that start with "a,e,i,o,u" period. So think and correct yourself