an link

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "an link" is not correct in written English.
The correct article to use before "link" is "a" because "link" begins with a consonant sound. Example: "Please provide a link to the document."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

But research published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health based on 14 years of data from 62 local authorities across England and Wales found there was no evidence of an link between reduced street lighting and increased crime or traffic accidents.

The Guardian

A clique is a subset of nodes such that for every two nodes in, there exists an link connecting the two.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

A clique is a subset of nodes such that for every two nodes in clique, there exists an link connecting the two.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

The sIfe is in private beta at the moment, but we have.

TechCrunch

Is there an link between the life-span distribution of genes and PSD distribution?

Plosone

94.7% of the participating hospitals have set up an infection control team in outpatient settings, 94.5% of them had an surveillance and control program, but only 75.5% outpatient settings arranged an link nurse to do infection control job.

Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

What about a link to a link to a link?

TechCrunch

Never click a link in an email.

WikiHow

A link to a Patsy Cline song.

The New York Times

A link provides a purchase option.

The New York Times

"Greece is a link in a chain.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the article "a" before "link" because "link" begins with a consonant sound. For example, use "a link" instead of "an link".

Common error

Avoid using "an" before words that begin with a consonant sound. "An" is typically used before words starting with a vowel sound, such as "an apple" or "an hour".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an link" is generally intended to function as a noun phrase, aiming to specify a connection or reference, often in the context of digital content or relationships. However, due to the incorrect use of the article "an" before the consonant sound of "link", it fails to achieve its intended grammatical function. According to Ludwig, the correct article is "a".

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

42%

Wiki

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "an link" is grammatically incorrect because the word "link" begins with a consonant sound, requiring the article "a" instead of "an". This error is flagged by Ludwig AI, which suggests using "a link" or "one link" for grammatical correctness. While the phrase appears across various contexts, including scientific, news, and wiki sources, its incorrect grammar impacts its overall quality. To avoid this error, remember to use "a" before words starting with a consonant sound and "an" before words starting with a vowel sound.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a link

This is the grammatically correct form using the appropriate article before the noun "link".

one link

This alternative uses a numeral to specify a single link, correcting the article usage.

a connection

This phrase replaces "link" with a synonym, offering a semantically similar way to express a relationship.

a relationship

Similar to "a connection", this uses another synonym to denote a relationship or association.

an association

This is another synonym for "link", denoting a connection or relationship between two things.

a tie

This suggests a bond or connection, similar to a link, but perhaps more abstract.

an element

Expresses how something is a part of a structure.

a tie-in

This represents a link between two concepts that are normally distinct.

a bridge

This suggests a connection from two points or ideas.

a bond

This indicates a strong connection that might be permanent.

FAQs

Why is "an link" grammatically incorrect?

The phrase "an link" is incorrect because the word "link" begins with a consonant sound. The correct article to use before a consonant sound is "a", not "an". Therefore, the correct phrase is "a link".

What is the proper way to refer to a single web address or connection?

The proper way is to say "a link" or "one link". The article "a" is used before words that start with a consonant sound.

Can I use "an" before "link" if it's part of a longer phrase?

No, the article usage depends on the immediate word following it. Even in a longer phrase, if "link" is the first word after the article, you should still use "a link".

What are some other ways to describe a connection besides using the word "link"?

Depending on the context, you could use words like "a connection", "a relationship", or "an association". Ensure the chosen word fits the specific meaning you intend to convey.