an landmark

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "an landmark" is not correct in written English.
It should be "a landmark" because "landmark" begins with a consonant sound. Example: "The Golden Gate Bridge is a landmark that attracts millions of visitors each year."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

The 60th anniversary of the war's end is also an landmark for the Caramoor International Music Festival, which is set to open its 60th season on June 25.

The New York Times

As shipbuilding began to collapse, it won an landmark order from the then British Petroleum (now BP) for a high-pressure pump for use in the newly discovered Forties oilfield.

The Economist

Rev. DeShazier, the pastor of University Church in Chicago, recently released an album called Lemonade - before Beyoncé took over the charts with an landmark visual album of the selfsame title.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Archives|66 BROADWAY SOLD; LONG A LANDMARK; Central Union Trust Reported Buyer of Manhattan Life Insurance Building.

The New York Times

66 BROADWAY SOLD; LONG A LANDMARK; Central Union Trust Reported Buyer of Manhattan Life Insurance Building.

The New York Times

It will become a landmark, an icon.

The New York Times

Go to a place with a landmark.

WikiHow

a Relation of distance towards a landmark.

EURASIP Journal on Embedded Systems

"Definitely a landmark achievement".

The New York Times

"It's a landmark.

The New York Times

"It's such a landmark.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the article "a" before "landmark" because it begins with a consonant sound. For example, say "a landmark building" instead of "an landmark building".

Common error

Avoid using "an" before words that start with a consonant sound, even if the first letter is a vowel but is pronounced as a consonant (e.g., "an university" is incorrect; it should be "a university").

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an landmark" functions as a noun phrase, but is grammatically incorrect. The indefinite article should agree in sound with the following word. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is not correct and should be replaced with "a landmark".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Wiki

33%

Science

33%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "an landmark" is grammatically incorrect. According to Ludwig AI, the article "an" is used before words that begin with a vowel sound, while "a" is used before consonant sounds. Since "landmark" begins with a consonant sound, the correct phrasing is "a landmark". While there are a few examples of the incorrect usage, they do not validate the phrase. It's crucial to use correct grammar to ensure clarity and credibility in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

A landmark

Corrects the article to "a" for words starting with a consonant sound.

An important landmark

Adds emphasis while still needing article correction to "a".

An iconic landmark

Adds the adjective "iconic" before landmark, but still requires article correction to "a".

A significant site

Replaces "landmark" with a more general term while maintaining the sense of importance.

A notable structure

Rephrases to focus on the physical aspect of a landmark as a structure.

A prominent feature

Highlights the visibility and importance of the landmark within its surroundings.

A historic monument

If the landmark is historical in nature, this emphasizes that aspect.

A well-known place

Avoids the term "landmark" entirely, opting for a more generic description.

A famous location

Similar to "well-known place", but emphasizes the fame or renown of the location.

A defining characteristic

If the landmark is used in a figurative context to define something, this is an option.

FAQs

Why is "an landmark" grammatically incorrect?

The phrase "an landmark" is incorrect because the article "an" is used before words that begin with a vowel sound. Since "landmark" begins with a consonant sound, the correct article is "a". Thus, the correct phrase is "a landmark".

What are some alternatives to saying "an landmark"?

Since "an landmark" is grammatically incorrect, you should use "a landmark". Depending on the context, you could also say "a significant site" or "a notable structure".

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

Yes, but only if the 'l' is silent, which is rare in English. For instance, if a word started with a silent 'l' and the next sound was a vowel, "an" would be appropriate. However, "landmark" does not fit this condition; therefore, you must use "a landmark".

What's the difference between "a landmark" and "the landmark"?

"A landmark" refers to any notable place or feature. "The landmark" refers to a specific, already identified or well-known place or feature. For example, "The Eiffel Tower is a landmark in Paris" (general) versus "We met at the landmark near the station" (specific).