an key role

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "an key role" is not correct in written English.
It should be "a key role" because "key" begins with a consonant sound. Example: "She played a key role in the success of the project."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

Or, does senior year play an key role in helping students transition emotionally to being on their own?

The New York Times

This knowledge is at the root of his transformation, realizing that if the we're able to save the world, the market will need to play an key role, but only if more of those who understand capitalism and market forces begin to invest in the future of the planet instead of their own place on the annual Forbes rich person list.

Huffington Post

Lindesmith and coworkers suggest that the aa in position 393/394 may play an key role in receptor binding and impact immunogenic properties of the virus [33].

Plosone

Recent data, from mutation analysis of critical residues, suggests the inhibitor may act directly on CFTR within the sixth transmembrane helix of the protein, a domain that has an key role in the channel pore formation at arginine 347 [16]; but exactly how the inhibitor acts on CFTR is not fully understood.

Plosone

Therefore, SIRT3 played an key role in the Oroxylin A-induced HK II detachment from VDAC.

Cell Death and Disease

In addition, several studies have demonstrated that Rab GTPases, a family of proteins involved in membrane traffic, play an key role for osteoclasts function, in particular for the polarized transport of acidic vesicles of the endocytic/lysosomal pathway required for formation of the ruffled border (for review see [ 49]).

BMC Genomics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

A rumor played a key role as well.

Los Angeles Times

Gearbox selection plays a key role in an engine design.

Journal of Industrial Engineering International

TP53 plays a key role as a tumor suppressor gene.

Plosone

Protein plays a key role in maintaining a healthy hair.

WikiHow

A high-quality reference camera plays a key role.

EURASIP Journal on Image and Video Processing

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always ensure the correct article ("a" or "an") precedes nouns based on pronunciation, not just spelling. "Key" begins with a consonant sound, so use "a".

Common error

Avoid using "an" before words that begin with a consonant sound, even if the letter is a vowel. For instance, it's "a university", not "an university" because "university" begins with the consonant sound /j/.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an key role" is intended to function as a noun phrase, typically used to describe the importance or significance of someone or something. Ludwig AI identifies this phrase as grammatically incorrect.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

0%

News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Less common in

Science

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News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "an key role" is grammatically incorrect. As pointed out by Ludwig AI, the correct phrasing is ""a key role"" because the word "key" begins with a consonant sound. While the intention is to emphasize importance, the grammatical error undermines the message. Alternatives like ""a crucial role"" or ""an essential role"" can be used depending on the specific context and desired emphasis. Always ensure correct article usage to maintain clarity and professionalism in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a crucial part

Replaces "key role" with "crucial part" and corrects the article usage.

a vital function

Substitutes "key role" with "vital function" to maintain the meaning and ensures correct grammar.

a critical role

Replaces "key" with "critical" while maintaining correct article usage.

a significant contribution

Replaces the original phrase with a more descriptive term while ensuring grammatical accuracy.

a central component

Emphasizes the importance with "central component" instead of "key role", also correcting the article.

an essential element

Swaps "key role" for "essential element" maintaining the meaning, but requires "an" instead of "a".

a fundamental part

Replaces "key role" with "fundamental part" to highlight the basic importance.

a major factor

Uses "major factor" to replace "key role", keeping a similar level of emphasis.

a principal aspect

Replaces the phrase with "principal aspect" offering a slightly different nuance.

an important position

Focuses on the importance of the position or role, using correct grammar.

FAQs

What's the correct way to say someone plays a significant part?

The proper phrasing is to say someone plays "a key role", "a crucial role", or "an essential role" depending on the intended emphasis.

What are some alternatives to saying "an key role"?

Since "an key role" is grammatically incorrect, you can use alternatives like "a vital function", "a significant contribution", or "a central component".

Which is correct, "an key role" or "a key role"?

"An key role" is incorrect. The proper phrase is ""a key role"". The article "a" is used before words beginning with a consonant sound.

How can I use "a key role" in a sentence?

You can use ""a key role"" in a sentence like this: "Education plays "a key role" in the development of a nation."