an great time

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "an great time" is not correct in written English.
It should be "a great time" instead, as "great" begins with a consonant sound. Example: "We had a great time at the party last night."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Separately, I had an great time hanging out with one of Pitbull's technology advisors (I'm a big Pitbull fan), and it was quite random to have this happen backstage.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

"We have a great time.

Independent

We had a great time.

The New York Times

They had a great time".

The New York Times

I had a great time.

The New York Times

People have a great time.

The New Yorker

"It's a great time".

The New York Times - Science

"It was a great time.

Independent

Not a great time for them.

The New York Times

I've had a great time.

The New Yorker

He had had a "great time" there.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the article "a" before words that begin with a consonant sound, such as "great". The correct phrase is "a great time".

Common error

Avoid using "an" before words starting with a consonant sound. "An" is reserved for words that begin with a vowel sound (a, e, i, o, u).

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an great time" functions as a noun phrase intended to express a positive experience. However, it is grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI identifies the error as the improper use of the article "an" before a word that begins with a consonant sound.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "an great time" is flagged by Ludwig AI as grammatically incorrect due to the misuse of the article "an" before "great", which starts with a consonant sound. The correct form is "a great time". While the intended meaning is to express enjoyment, the grammatical error undermines its effectiveness. It's important to use "a" before words beginning with a consonant sound to ensure grammatical accuracy and clarity in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a great time

Corrects the grammatical error by using "a" instead of "an" before "great,", which starts with a consonant sound.

a wonderful time

Substitutes "great" with "wonderful" to offer a different adjective expressing a positive experience, while maintaining grammatical correctness.

an excellent time

Replaces "great" with "excellent," providing a more formal synonym to describe a positive experience.

a fantastic time

Uses "fantastic" in place of "great," offering a slightly more enthusiastic description of the experience.

a delightful time

Replaces "great" with "delightful," suggesting a pleasant and enjoyable experience.

a marvelous time

Uses "marvelous" to describe the experience, providing a slightly more expressive alternative to "great".

an amazing time

Substitutes "great" with "amazing," adding a sense of excitement and wonder to the description.

a superb time

Offers a more formal alternative, using "superb" to convey a high quality and enjoyable experience.

an enjoyable time

Replaces "great" with "enjoyable," directly stating that the time was pleasant and agreeable.

a pleasurable time

Similar to "enjoyable", "pleasurable" directly expresses that the experience was satisfying and agreeable.

FAQs

Is it correct to say "an great time"?

No, the correct phrase is "a great time". The article "an" is used before words that begin with a vowel sound, while "a" is used before words that begin with a consonant sound.

What are some alternatives to saying "an great time"?

Since "an great time" is grammatically incorrect, you can use "a great time" or other phrases such as "a wonderful time", "a fantastic time", or "a delightful time".

How do I choose between using "a" and "an"?

Use "a" before words that start with a consonant sound (e.g., a car, a house). Use "an" before words that start with a vowel sound (e.g., an apple, an hour). It's the sound that matters, not the letter itself.

Can "great time" be replaced with other similar expressions?

Yes, depending on the context, you can replace "great time" with expressions like "enjoyable experience", "pleasant moment", or "memorable occasion".