a army

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a army" is not correct in written English.
The correct form is "an army" because "army" begins with a vowel sound. Example: "The general commanded an army of thousands during the battle."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

Drawing on the personnel files of Bang and Seiden, civilian morticians decorated forest-green "Class A" Army dress uniforms with silver jump wings, marksmanship medals, insignias, and myriad patches specific to each.

The New Yorker

He graduated from Harvard (1941) and was a army veteran of WWII.

The New York Times

The meetings came after a army officers in the state argued last week against the law's revocation, claiming there is a Pakistani presence in the area (Hindustan Times).

The New York Times

He refers to "some of the things we've introduced" to get young people involved but does not seem to have the same passion as Cameron about the Tory leader's vision of a army of volunteers, part of his "big society" scheme.

The Guardian

The others were Paul A. Filkil, 46, the husband of a Army civilian employee in Germany, and their son Ben, 15, as well as First Lt. Erich R. Kern, 25, of Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., and Second Lt. Carrie L. Baker, 23, of Florida.

The New York Times

By Amy Davidson Sorkin May 22, 2013 Woolwich, in South London, is home to a Army barracks and a primary school, where children, thankfully, were still inside Wednesday afternoon when two men carrying butchers' knives, cleavers, and a gun attacked a man who was wearing a T-shirt that said "Help for Heroes" (the name of a military charity).

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

They want an army and a navy.

The Guardian

"This is an army, and it takes an army to defeat an army".

The Guardian

"A political party is like an army.

The Guardian

What about a general in command of an army?

Biology Direct

Four banners indicate an army.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "an army" instead of "a army". The article "an" is used before words that begin with a vowel sound.

Common error

Avoid using the indefinite article "a" before "army". The correct article is "an" because "army" starts with a vowel sound. Saying "a army" is a common grammatical mistake.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a army" functions as a noun phrase, but its grammatical incorrectness overshadows its function. Ludwig AI shows that the correct form should be "an army".

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Encyclopedias

21%

Science

19%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Wiki

7%

Reference

6%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a army" is a grammatically incorrect construction. As Ludwig AI indicates, the correct form is "an army", due to the vowel sound at the beginning of the word "army". Although the phrase appears in various contexts, including news, encyclopedias, and scientific articles, its usage is considered an error. Remember to use "an" before words starting with a vowel sound to maintain grammatical accuracy. Using related terms like "a military force" or "a troop" can also help avoid this common mistake.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an army

Corrects the grammatical error by using the correct article "an" before the vowel sound.

a military force

Replaces "army" with a broader term while maintaining a similar meaning.

a troop

Substitutes "army" with a more specific term for a unit of soldiers.

a regiment

Replaces "army" with a term for a specific military formation.

a defense force

Replaces "army" with a term emphasizing the defensive role.

a military

Uses the adjective "military" as a noun, referring to armed forces in general.

armed forces

Refers to the organized military organizations of a country.

a fighting force

Replaces "army" with an emphasis on combat capabilities.

a land army

Specifies that the army operates on land.

a war machine

Uses a metaphorical expression for a large and powerful army.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "a army"?

The correct way to say it is "an army". The indefinite article "an" is used before words that begin with a vowel sound.

Why is "a army" grammatically incorrect?

The phrase "a army" is incorrect because "army" begins with a vowel sound. In English grammar, we use "an" before words starting with a vowel sound, such as in the phrase "an apple".

What are some alternatives to using the phrase "a army"?

Since "a army" is grammatically incorrect, you can use "an army". Depending on the context, you could also use phrases like "a military force" or "a troop".

How does the use of articles "a" and "an" affect sentence structure?

The articles "a" and "an" are indefinite articles used before nouns. "A" is used before consonant sounds, while "an" is used before vowel sounds. For example, you would say "a car" but "an engine". This ensures proper grammatical flow and clarity in sentences.