an broad

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "an broad" is not correct in written English.
The correct article to use before "broad" is "a" because "broad" begins with a consonant sound. Example: "She has a broad understanding of the subject."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

From the United Nations and wealthy governments to public health groups and foundation researchers, the groundwork is being laid for an broad campaign against the epidemic in Africa and Asia.

The New York Times

The results show that with a composite composed of a complex magnetic filler comprising the nanoparticles of two magnetically diverse phases, i.e., a spinel phase as the electromagnetic wave absorber in the lower GHz range and a hexagonal phase operating at a higher GHz range, above 32 GHz, a microwave absorber with an broad absorption range can be prepared.

Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials

He is all of us -- students, teachers, principals, parents, communities, businesses and government -- working in concert, on an broad scale.

Huffington Post

Like (I suspect) most poets, I tend to move through my reading and writing life with an broad awareness of how literary history has been, and a focus (macabre to poetry outsiders, but common among poets) on the remote possibility of... a posthumous career.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

A broad insurance policy helped a lot.

The New York Times

"I have a broad appeal".

The New York Times

Callas was not a broad.

The New York Times

"Entertainment" is a broad term.

Independent

He had a broad grin.

The New Yorker

What a broad.

The Guardian - Opinion

Except maybe a broad".

The New York Times - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the correct article before nouns. "Broad" begins with a consonant sound, so use "a" instead of "an".

Common error

Avoid using "an" before words that start with a consonant sound. This is a common error, but easily corrected by remembering basic grammar rules.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an broad" functions as an incorrect adjective phrase due to a grammatical error. It attempts to modify a noun with an adjective, but the incorrect article usage undermines its effectiveness. As Ludwig AI points out, the correct article is "a".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "an broad" is grammatically incorrect due to the misuse of the indefinite article "an" before a word starting with a consonant sound. Ludwig AI identifies the correct form as "a broad". While the phrase appears in various sources, including news and scientific publications, its infrequent usage and grammatical flaw make it unsuitable for formal writing. Alternatives such as "a wide" or "a vast" offer grammatically sound substitutes, depending on the intended meaning. Remember to use "a" before words beginning with a consonant sound to avoid this common error.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a broad

Corrects the article usage to "a" from "an" before "broad", aligning with standard English grammar.

a wide

Replaces "broad" with "wide", offering a synonymous adjective and maintaining the intended meaning.

a vast

Substitutes "broad" with "vast", providing another synonym that emphasizes the extent or scope.

an extensive

Replaces "broad" with "extensive", changing the adjective while keeping the core concept of wide scope or reach.

a comprehensive

Offers "comprehensive" as a replacement, focusing on thoroughness and completeness rather than just width.

a general

Uses "general" to indicate a broad or overall perspective, suitable in contexts where specificity is not required.

a sweeping

Suggests "sweeping" to describe something that covers a large area or range.

a far-reaching

Replaces "broad" with "far-reaching", emphasizing the impact or influence over a considerable distance or scope.

a large-scale

Uses "large-scale" to denote something that is broad in terms of size or implementation.

a grand

Replaces "broad" with "grand", focusing on the impressive scale or scope of something.

FAQs

Why is "an broad" grammatically incorrect?

The indefinite article "an" is used before words that begin with a vowel sound, while "a" is used before words that start with a consonant sound. Since "broad" starts with a consonant sound, the correct usage is "a broad".

What are some alternatives to "an broad"?

Instead of "an broad", you can use phrases like "a wide", "a vast", or "a comprehensive" depending on the context.

How do I choose between "a broad" and similar phrases like "a wide" or "a general"?

The choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey. "A broad" implies a wide scope or range, "a wide" emphasizes the extent of something, and "a general" suggests a lack of specificity.

Is it ever correct to use "an" before a word starting with 'b'?

While uncommon, it can be correct if the 'b' is silent and the word begins with a vowel sound. However, this doesn't apply to "broad", so "a broad" is always the correct form.