Usage of "a" and "an"

[Belperpete]

That's basically right but as ever in English, there are exceptions. A good one is the word LED (as in light bulbs).

Using the above rule, you'd say "a LED" but that doesn't sound right. "An LED" is much better.
So it seems to depend on the shape you're making with your mouth/tongue with the word after the "a" or "an", which is strange because you then have to pre-empt the word.

But LED isn't a word, it's an abbreviation for Light Emitting Diode. It should really have three full-stops, one after each letter.

If you were to pronounce LED as the word "led" it would have an "a" before it, as in "a lead weight". As an abbreviation, it is pronounced "el ee dee", and so needs an "an" before the "el" in the same way as before elephant.

 

[DynamicSpirit]

That's basically right but as ever in English, there are exceptions.

A good one is the word LED (as in light bulbs).

Using the above rule, you'd say "a LED" but that doesn't sound right. "An LED" is much better.
So it seems to depend on the shape you're making with your mouth/tongue with the word after the "a" or "an", which is strange because you then have to pre-empt the word.

LED isn't an exception at all if you remember that the correct rule is that you use 'an' if the word is PRONOUNCED starting with a vowel sound (not spelt). "LED" is pronounced "ell-ee-dee". Therefore it starts with a vowel sound. Therefore you use 'an'.

 

[krus_aragon]

But LED isn't a word, it's an abbreviation for Light Emitting Diode. It should really have three full-stops, one after each letter.

If you were to pronounce LED as the word "led" it would have an "a" before it, as in "a lead weight". As an abbreviation, it is pronounced "el ee dee", and so needs an "an" before the "el" in the same way as before elephant.

Though, confusingly, organic LEDs, especially active-matrix organic LEDs, tend to be pronounced "o-led" or "ammo-led", even though they're still initialisations.

 

[AlterEgo]

But LED isn't a word, it's an abbreviation for Light Emitting Diode. It should really have three full-stops, one after each letter.

That's an anachronism - almost never seen any more.

 

[whhistle]

LED isn't an exception at all if you remember that the correct rule is that you use 'an' if the word is PRONOUNCED starting with a vowel sound (not spelt). "LED" is pronounced "ell-ee-dee".

*Sigh*
Yes, but many were taught the "general" rule of thumb is if the following word starts with a vowel, you use "an".
Just like the old "I before E, except after C which, again many were taught, but it doesn't work with some words.

It's not about what rule is "correct" it's how it has been taught.
People were more than happy to follow the two rules above and understand the exceptions.
Kids these days seem not to be able to do the same thing.

 

[whhistle]

But LED isn't a word, it's an abbreviation for Light Emitting Diode. It should really have three full-stops, one after each letter.

Would you say the same about OLED?
Because that seems to have become it's own word, despite being an abbreviation for Organic Light Emitting Diode.

 

[MotCO]

I cringe every time I hear Fiona Bruce on BBC News say Glossersher (Gloucestershire)

For my own entry, my home town is Chester le Street (the le pronounced as per the French word for the), so many people (including so many from the North East of England) pronounce it Chester lee Street (oh and Houghton Lee Spring for Houghton le Spring too)

But the important bit is, is it 'Howton' or 'Hooton'?

 

[hexagon789]

But the important bit is, is it 'Howton' or 'Hooton'?

'Ho' rhyming with go apparently.

 

[SteveP29]

I can't think of many places up here with 'lea' in them as such, but certainly I've come across the word before.

Summerlee near Livingston might fit.

The town I lived in before I moved to Chester le Street is called Birtley, in olde English, its name was Bright-lea, meaning bright field

But the important bit is, is it 'Howton' or 'Hooton'?

'Ho' rhyming with go apparently.

Yes, Ho is the way I've always said it