Home/Common Mistakes/Grammar/Articles/Using a, an and the before abbreviations
Home/Common Mistakes/Grammar/Articles/Using a, an and the before abbreviations

Using a, an and the before abbreviations

The rules for using a, an and the before initial abbreviations are the same as for using them before normal words.

A should be used before countable nouns that talk about one person or thing and don’t begin with a vowel sound (a, e, i, o, u).

  • a PA (Personal Assistant)
    (p-ay)

An should be used before countable nouns that talk about one person or thing, and begin with a vowel sound (a, e, i, o, u).

  • an NGO (Non-Governmental Organisation)
    (en-gee-oh)

A or an are used before countable nouns to talk about something the listener or reader does not know about.

  • a BBC employee (we don’t know which employee)
    (bee-bee-sea)

The is used before countable nouns to talk about something the listener or reader knows about or there is only one of.

  • The BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation/there is only one)
    (bee-bee-sea)