a at-risk

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a at-risk" is not correct; it should be "an at-risk." You can use it to describe individuals or groups that are vulnerable or in danger of negative outcomes. Example: "The program is designed to support at-risk youth." Alternative expressions include "vulnerable" and "disadvantaged."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

Become a mentor for an at-risk youth.

WikiHow

You're not a homeless youth, you're not an at-risk youth, you're not an immigrant.

Vice

Asking a simple question such as "who is at risk for falling today?" can result in an entirely different approach to an at-risk patient's care delivery.

Huffington Post

Being an empowered bystander starts with identifying an at-risk woman.

Huffington Post

Conclusion: The TFI is a sensitive and reliable method to detect an at-risk graft.

Journal of Vascular Surgery

"Upper-middle-class kids are an at-risk group".

The New York Times

"I think we can say this is an at-risk group," Dr. Belcher said.

The New York Times - Health

He was from an "at-risk" group and had spent most of his life in prison.

The Guardian - Opinion

The elderly clearly are an at-risk population for anxiety disorders.

The New York Times

Being an at-risk youth means not always having the privilege and perspective to think strategically.

TechCrunch

Young individuals entering the labor market are generally considered to be an at-risk population.

IZA Journal of Labor Policy

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use 'an' instead of 'a' before the word 'at-risk' because 'at' begins with a vowel sound. Phonetics, not just spelling, determine the choice of article.

Common error

Writers sometimes mistakenly use 'a' when they are focused on the noun that follows the adjective (e.g., 'a at-risk child'). Remember that the article must agree with the very next word, regardless of what follows later in the sentence.

Linguistic Context

In the phrase "a at-risk", the word 'a' functions as an indefinite article intended to modify a following noun. However, according to English phonological rules, the article 'a' only precedes words starting with consonant sounds. Since 'at' begins with the open-mid front unrounded vowel /æ/, the construction is grammatically invalid. Ludwig AI highlights that the standard form is 'an at-risk'.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Science

25%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The search for "a at-risk" reveals a fundamental grammatical error. Ludwig AI explicitly clarifies that because 'at-risk' begins with a vowel sound, the indefinite article 'a' must be replaced with 'an'. While the phrase 'at-risk' is a highly common and authoritative term used across News & Media, Science and Academia to describe vulnerable populations, it is almost never correctly preceded by 'a'. For professional and academic writing, always use "an at-risk" when preceding a noun and ensure proper hyphenation when the phrase acts as a compound adjective. Alternatives like vulnerable or "susceptible" can also be used to vary your vocabulary while maintaining the same level of formality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an at-risk

Corrects the indefinite article to match the vowel sound of the following word

at risk

The adverbial version of the phrase used without an article or hyphen

vulnerable

Single-word adjective describing a susceptibility to harm or attack

high-risk

Indicates a greater degree of potential danger or negative outcome

under threat

Describes a condition where danger is imminent or being actively faced

endangered

Usually refers to species or groups facing a serious risk of extinction or disappearance

susceptible

Focuses on the likelihood of being influenced or harmed by a particular thing

in jeopardy

A prepositional phrase indicating a state of being in danger

exposed

Suggests a lack of protection against external risks

fragile

Emphasizes the delicate nature of a situation or group that is easily damaged

FAQs

Is it correct to say "a at-risk"?

No, it is not correct. Because 'at-risk' starts with a vowel sound, you must use the indefinite article "an at-risk" instead.

When should I hyphenate at-risk?

You should hyphenate 'at-risk' when it acts as a compound adjective before a noun, such as in "an at-risk youth". If it comes after the noun, use "at risk" without the hyphen.

What is a better word for at-risk?

Depending on the context, you can use more precise terms like "vulnerable", "high-risk" or "disadvantaged".

How do I describe someone who is at risk of something?

You can say someone is "at risk of" a specific outcome, or describe them as part of "an at-risk population".