a excellent shot

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a excellent shot" is not correct in written English.
It should be "an excellent shot" because "excellent" begins with a vowel sound. Example: "She made an excellent shot during the basketball game, securing the win for her team."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science & Research

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The 2010 finalists improved after half-time but only after they went a goal behind when Giovani Dos Santos fired in a excellent shot from 25 yards out.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Once a bareback horse rider, an excellent shot and a student pilot, Ms. Barrett had always been stubborn and fearless, her friends and relatives said.

The New York Times

A promising team comes into the second half of their season with a winning record and an excellent shot at the playoffs.

The New Yorker

By Thomas Denby September 25 , 2012A promising team comes into the second half of their season with a winning record and an excellent shot at the playoffs.

The New Yorker

The fifty-one-year-old Upper West Side establishment, nestled… A promising team comes into the second half of their season with a winning record and an excellent shot at the playoffs.

The New Yorker

Though he had only joined Cardinal one-and-a-half years earlier, he had an excellent shot at making chief operating officer within the year.

Forbes

Given all this, Diaz has an excellent shot at an appeal.

Huffington Post

For the men, Casey FitzRandolph has an excellent shot at winning a medal, especially in the 500.

The New York Times - Sports

They did not have much luck when, after Jack Colback had given Ipswich a third-minute lead with an excellent shot from the edge of the penalty area, they hit the woodwork three times.

The Guardian - Sport

The Thunder weren't able to overtake the Spurs when they lost Tony Parker for a few weeks, but with Manu Ginobili out for the rest of the regular season with a hamstring issue they have an excellent shot at making up the one-game difference in the standings.

The Guardian - Sport

As long as they're unable to make the Warriors settle for anything less than a good shot (and often an excellent shot) -- they won't be competitive in this series.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "an" before words that begin with a vowel sound. Using "a" instead is a common grammatical error.

Common error

Avoid using the article "a" before words that start with a vowel sound. The correct article in such cases is "an". For example, it should be "an excellent shot", not "a excellent shot".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a excellent shot" is intended to function as a descriptive term, but its grammatical incorrectness affects its primary function. Ludwig AI indicates that using "a" before "excellent" is wrong; the correct article is "an".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science & Research

33%

Academia

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a excellent shot" is grammatically incorrect; it should be "an excellent shot". Ludwig AI clearly points out this error. The corrected phrase is used to express admiration for a skilled or impressive shot in various contexts, ranging from news reports to sports commentary. While the sources are authoritative, the grammatical error impacts the phrase's overall quality. Remember to use "an" before words starting with a vowel sound. Alternatives include "a superb shot" or "a brilliant shot".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an excellent shot

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

a superb shot

Replaces "excellent" with a synonym that expresses high quality or skill.

a brilliant shot

Substitutes "excellent" with "brilliant" to emphasize the impressive nature of the shot.

a remarkable shot

Uses "remarkable" instead of "excellent" to highlight the shot's unusual or noteworthy quality.

a fantastic shot

Employs "fantastic" as a synonym for "excellent", conveying excitement and admiration.

a great shot

Replaces "excellent" with the more general term "great", indicating a positive assessment of the shot.

a skillful shot

Focuses on the skill involved in making the shot, rather than just its overall quality.

a well-executed shot

Emphasizes the technical precision and successful execution of the shot.

a precise shot

Highlights the accuracy and exactness of the shot.

a deadly shot

Indicates that the shot was effective, accurate, and decisive, often with a sense of finality.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "a excellent shot"?

The correct phrasing is "an excellent shot". The article "an" is used before words that begin with a vowel sound.

What are some alternatives to saying "a excellent shot" (corrected to an excellent shot)?

You can use phrases like "a superb shot", "a brilliant shot", or "a remarkable shot" depending on the specific context.

Which is correct, "a excellent shot" or "an excellent shot"?

"An excellent shot" is the correct phrasing. The article "an" should precede words starting with a vowel sound.

What's the difference between "a great shot" and "an excellent shot"?

While both phrases express admiration for a shot, "a great shot" is a more general expression. "An excellent shot" (or corrected version of "a excellent shot") implies a higher degree of skill or impressiveness.