a excellent time

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a excellent time" is not correct in English.
It should be "an excellent time." You can use the corrected phrase when describing a positive experience or enjoyable moment. Example: "We had an excellent time at the concert last night."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

However, Mohamed El-Fatatry, an Egyptian working out of Finland, reckons now is a excellent time to create a world aimed at Muslims.

The Guardian - Tech

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

A recession is an excellent time to buy needed infrastructure, he said, because the economy is under-utilized, and the spending served an economic purpose of creating activity.

The New York Times

"It was an excellent time, a really wonderful occasion," Marie told The Huffington Post.

Huffington Post

Above all, it's an excellent time for a vacation, Rebecca wrote on the Science Careers forum.

Science Magazine

This is an excellent time and a great cause to do so again.

Huffington Post

This is an excellent time for a ceremony that reconfirms and commemorates your continued devotion and love for each other.

Huffington Post

This is an excellent time to be a repo man.

The New York Times

"It is an excellent time to be a borrower," he said.

The New York Times

We thought it was an excellent time to introduce a woman of the world.

The Guardian

The elementary school years, when kids are learning math concepts and getting comfortable with numbers, are an excellent time to lay a solid knowledge base.

Forbes

"When you know someone's military systems are impaired, that's an excellent time to launch a preemptive strike," surmises Lutz, who is now president of Manhattan-based WaySecure Networks Inc. Manhattan-based WaySecure Networks Inc

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "an" before words that begin with a vowel sound, such as "excellent". Double-check your article usage to ensure grammatical correctness.

Common error

Remember that the choice between "a" and "an" depends on the sound of the following word, not just the letter. While "excellent" begins with a vowel, be mindful of words like "university" that start with a vowel but have a consonant sound, requiring the article "a".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a excellent time" is intended to function as a descriptive expression, indicating a period or moment that is of high quality or very enjoyable. However, its incorrect use of the article "a" instead of "an" detracts from its effectiveness. Ludwig AI identifies this error.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Wiki

20%

Science

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a excellent time" is grammatically incorrect and should be "an excellent time." This is because "excellent" begins with a vowel sound, requiring the article "an." While Ludwig's examples show that the incorrect form appears in various sources, including news outlets, it's crucial to use the correct grammatical form in writing. Alternatives like "a great time" or "a wonderful time" offer correct and equally positive ways to express the same sentiment. Remember to always double-check your article usage to ensure grammatical correctness and maintain credibility in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an excellent moment

Replaces "time" with "moment", while maintaining the strong positive connotation and correcting the article.

a great time

Uses "great" as a substitute for "excellent", offering a slightly less formal but equally positive sentiment.

a wonderful time

Substitutes "excellent" with "wonderful", conveying a sense of joy and positivity.

an opportune moment

Replaces the entire phrase with a more formal expression indicating a favorable opportunity.

a golden opportunity

Emphasizes the value and potential of the moment, suggesting it should not be missed.

a prime time

Indicates the most suitable or advantageous time for something.

a perfect time

Suggests the time is ideally suited for a particular purpose or activity.

a superb moment

Replaces "excellent" with "superb", offering a slightly more elevated and sophisticated tone.

a favorable time

Indicates a time that is conducive to success or positive outcomes.

an ideal period

Replaces both "excellent" and "time" to suggest the most suitable part of the year for something

FAQs

Why is "a excellent time" considered grammatically incorrect?

The indefinite article "a" is used before words that begin with a consonant sound, while "an" is used before words that begin with a vowel sound. "Excellent" starts with a vowel sound, so the correct article is "an", making the correct phrase "an excellent time".

What are some alternatives to saying "a excellent time"?

You can use phrases like "a great time", "a wonderful time", or "an opportune moment" to convey a similar meaning.

Is there a situation where "a excellent time" would be correct?

No, the phrase "a excellent time" is always grammatically incorrect in standard English. The correct form is "an excellent time".

How can I remember when to use "a" versus "an"?

Think about the sound of the word that follows the article. If it starts with a vowel sound (a, e, i, o, u), use "an". If it starts with a consonant sound, use "a". For example, "an apple" versus "a banana".