an great challenge

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "an great challenge" is not correct in written English.
It should be "a great challenge" because "great" begins with a consonant sound. Example: "Completing the marathon was a great challenge for her, but she persevered."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Emergence of silt conscious designs of hydro power plants is an great challenge which calls for pooling the experiences of concerned.

Perspectives in Science

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

It's a great challenge, a great club, great fanbase.

Independent

"To me it was a great challenge, a great opportunity to work on something important".

The New York Times

Investigating the detailed impact from an individual nanoparticle on a graphene membrane is a great challenge.

Carbon

"It's a great challenge for a youngster.

The New York Times

"So for us," he added, "it's a great challenge and a great opportunity".

The New York Times

A great challenge for a cast and crew".

Wikipedia

"Even though it is a great challenge, it creates a great amount of stress," Mr. Jones said.

The New York Times

However, how to orientate the material, especially from a fissile alloy, is still a great challenge.

Acta Materialia

Development of an inexpensive high performance catalyst with low Pt loading remains a great challenge.

Electrochimica Acta

"It'll be a great challenge".

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the indefinite article "a" before words that begin with a consonant sound, such as "great". For example, use "a great challenge", not "an great challenge".

Common error

Avoid using "an" before words starting with a consonant sound. "An" is reserved for words that begin with a vowel sound. Always double-check the pronunciation, not just the spelling, as some words beginning with a vowel may have a consonant sound (e.g., "a university").

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an great challenge" attempts to function as a noun phrase describing a difficult task or undertaking. However, its grammatical incorrectness undermines its communicative potential. Ludwig AI explains that the error lies in the use of "an" before a consonant sound.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "an great challenge" is grammatically incorrect, as Ludwig AI points out, due to the improper use of the indefinite article "an" before a word starting with a consonant sound. The correct phrasing is "a great challenge". While the phrase appears rarely, primarily in scientific and news contexts, its incorrectness diminishes its effectiveness. Using alternatives like "a significant challenge" or "a considerable challenge" ensures grammatical accuracy and clearer communication. Remember to use "a" before consonant sounds and "an" before vowel sounds to avoid this common error.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a significant challenge

Replaces "great" with "significant", while correcting the article to "a".

a considerable challenge

Substitutes "great" with "considerable", maintaining similar intensity and also uses correct article.

a major challenge

Replaces "great" with "major", while maintaining correct article usage.

a formidable challenge

Emphasizes the difficulty of the challenge; corrects the article.

a substantial challenge

Indicates a challenge of significant size or impact, with correct article.

a tough challenge

Simplifies the phrase while retaining the essence of difficulty, with correct article.

a demanding challenge

Highlights the effort required by the challenge, also fixes article.

a difficult task

Replaces "challenge" with "task", altering the noun while keeping the sense of difficulty and applying correct article.

a complex problem

Changes "challenge" to "problem", highlighting complexity, and providing correct article.

a real test

Replaces the idea of a challenge with that of a test, with correct article.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "an great challenge"?

The correct way to phrase this is "a great challenge". The article "a" should be used before words that start with a consonant sound.

What are some alternatives to "an great challenge"?

Since "an great challenge" is grammatically incorrect, use alternatives like "a significant challenge", "a considerable challenge", or "a major challenge".

Why is "an great challenge" incorrect?

The phrase "an great challenge" is incorrect because the indefinite article "an" is used before words that begin with a vowel sound. "Great" begins with a consonant sound, so the correct article is "a".

Is there a difference between "a great challenge" and "an great challenge"?

Yes, "a great challenge" is grammatically correct, while "an great challenge" is not. The article "a" is used before consonant sounds, and "an" is used before vowel sounds.