an hare

USAGE SUMMARY

The part of the sentence "an hare" is not correct and usable in written English.
The correct version should be "a hare." For example, "The farmer spotted a hare hopping across the meadow."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

Other creatures on this enigmatically beautiful item of wristwear include a frog, a hare and a cat.

The Guardian - Arts

The cat, dressed in Napoleonic fashion, introduced the divertissement: Jon Marshall Sharp had a solo as a hare in a harlequin costume.

The New York Times - Arts

I have spent quite a long time this week in the entirely pleasurable pursuit of a hare, a hare started by one of our columnists on Tuesday.

The Guardian - Books

As I turn a corner, a hare bolts from the cover of the walls.

The Guardian

Ten strains were isolated from humans, a tick, a hare, and water.

Emerging Infectious Diseases

More than 3.4 million people tuned into an actual race between a tortoise and a hare on Facebook Live.

Los Angeles Times

In "The Tortoise and the Hare" the characters are, as the title indicates, a tortoise and a hare.

WikiHow

"The goal was to turn a hare into a tortoise," Newby-Fraser said.

The New York Times - Sports

Then, according to one of my mates, I'm like a greyhound chasing a hare.

The Guardian - Sport

Their life seemed to fit her like the skin of a rabbit on a hare.

The Guardian - Books

Light-footed and with exceptional speed, he rounded the bases like a greyhound after a hare.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the correct article ("a" or "an") based on the following word's pronunciation. "Hare" begins with a consonant sound, so use "a" rather than "an". The correct phrase is "a hare".

Common error

Avoid using "an" before words that start with a consonant sound. The phrase "an hare" is incorrect; the correct form is "a hare". Remember that the choice between "a" and "an" depends on pronunciation, not just the first letter.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an hare" functions as an incorrect noun phrase intended to identify a single hare. However, due to the incorrect use of the article "an" before a word starting with a consonant sound, it fails to meet standard English grammatical requirements, as also pointed out by Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

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Formal & Business

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Less common in

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "an hare" is grammatically incorrect. The indefinite article "an" should only be used before words that begin with a vowel sound, not necessarily a vowel letter. Since "hare" begins with a consonant sound, the correct form is "a hare". As Ludwig AI also highlights, this incorrect usage impacts the phrase's effectiveness and credibility. When referring to a hare, ensure the proper article "a" is used to maintain grammatical accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a hare

Corrects the article from "an" to "a" to match the consonant sound of "hare".

one hare

Replaces the indefinite article with "one" to specify a single hare.

the hare

Uses the definite article to refer to a specific hare already known or identified.

a brown hare

Adds the adjective 'brown' before "hare" to specify color.

a European hare

Adds the adjective 'European' before "hare" to specify species.

a mountain hare

Adds the adjective 'mountain' before "hare" to specify habitat.

a wild hare

Adds the adjective 'wild' before "hare" to specify the environment.

the swift hare

Adds the adjective 'swift' before "hare" to indicate its speed.

the elusive hare

Adds the adjective 'elusive' before "hare" to convey difficulty in finding it.

a jumping hare

Adds the adjective 'jumping' before "hare" to describe its movement.

FAQs

What is the correct way to refer to a single hare?

The correct way to refer to a single hare is to use the article "a" before the noun, resulting in the phrase "a hare". This is because "hare" begins with a consonant sound.

When should I use "a" versus "an"?

Use "a" before words that begin with a consonant sound (e.g., "a hare", "a dog"). Use "an" before words that begin with a vowel sound (e.g., "an apple", "an hour").

Is there a situation where "an" would be correct before a word starting with 'h'?

Yes, "an" is used before words starting with a silent 'h' and a vowel sound, such as "an hour" or "an heir". However, "hare" is pronounced with a clear 'h' sound, so "a hare" is always correct.

What are some other examples of nouns that correctly use the article "a"?

Some other examples include "a cat", "a dog", "a house", "a car", and "a tree". The general rule is to use "a" before nouns starting with a consonant sound.