eli5 Why, in English Grammer, is it always an “an” before an acronym? Even if the acronym doesn’t start with a vowel?

Question

eli5 Why, in English Grammer, is it always an “an” before an acronym? Even if the acronym doesn’t start with a vowel?

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Answer 1

English uses “an” when the next word begins with a vowel *sound*. Many consonants actually start with a vowel sound when said separately. For example, “F” is said “ef”. Thus “FAQ” sounds like “ef-ay-que,” and you would place “an” in front. However, if you didn’t pronounce it as individual letters, just “faq,” then you would use put “a” in front.

There are some things that are technically acronyms that are now just said as words where this would matter. It’s “a scuba suit” but “an S.C.U.B.A. suit”. There are also letters that don’t start with a vowel sound even when said alone, like “B,” so you would still go to “a B.B.Q.”