Friday, February 27, 2009

on an shoplifting charge

-- "Courier crime story subject denied court alternatives" in The Vancouver Courier on February 27, 2009

It should be a shoplifting charge. Use an intead of a when the subsequent word begins with a vowel sound. (With some exceptions, such as when the following word is university. Say, "He is an university student," and you will see - uhh, hear - what I mean.) Shoplifting definitely does not begin with a vowel sound.

No comments: