读英语研究所的时候，有位华人教授大约中学时移民美国，在美国读到语言学博士。她说 英语极为流利，只听声音会误会是洋人。有次上课她把an NBA player说成a NBA player 。被硕士生指出来，她竟然说2种说法都可以。The correct form is: **an NBA player** This is because **a/an** depends on the **sound**, not the spelling. * **NBA** is pronounced **"en-bee-ay"** /ш.bieɪ/. * It begins with the vowel sound **/ɛ/** ("en"). Therefore: * **an NBA player** * **a NBA player** Similar examples: * **an NBA game** * **an NFL coach** (NFL = "en-eff-el") * **an FBI agent** (FBI = "eff-bee-eye") * **an MBA student** (MBA = "em-bee-ay") But: * **a NATO official** (NATO is pronounced "NAY-toe," starting with a consonant sound /n/) * **a UNESCO program** (UNESCO is often pronounced "you-NESS-co," starting with /j/) A useful rule: > Use **an** before a vowel **sound**; use **a** before a consonant **sound**. So we say: > **Michael Jordan was an NBA player.** not > **Michael Jordan was a NBA player.** (And if you say the full phrase **National Basketball Association player**, it becomes **a National Basketball Association player**, because "National" begins with the consonant sound /n/.) -- The Prayer Life - Andrew Murray https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzOwqed_gET1387xVsAikYqYUQRNNak03 --

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