an portrait

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "an portrait" is not correct in written English.
The correct article to use before "portrait" is "a" because "portrait" begins with a consonant sound. Example: "I would like to commission a portrait of my family."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Although Mr. Romney later said that he had misspoken, in the context of other recent statements they seemed to contribute to a growing an portrait of Mr. Romney as being out of touch with the economic struggles of many Americans.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Is this a portrait of a saint or a portrait of a man?

Independent

It is a portrait of a person.

The New York Times

It's a portrait without a face.

The New York Times

It's a portrait  of a court.

Independent

"A portrait is a very personal thing".

The New York Times

(C) a portrait of a corrupt system?

The New Yorker

A portrait of a town?

The New York Times - Books

Especially a portrait of a Jewish woman.

HuffPost

"A portrait is not a likeness".

The New Yorker

When he painted a portrait, it was a series.

Emerging Infectious Diseases

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the correct article ('a' or 'an') based on the phonetic sound of the following word. 'A' precedes consonant sounds, while 'an' precedes vowel sounds.

Common error

Avoid using "an" before words that start with a consonant sound. While "portrait" begins with a vowel letter, it starts with a consonant sound, therefore, the correct article to use is "a".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an portrait" functions as a noun phrase, intending to specify a single instance of a portrait. However, due to the incorrect use of the article "an" before the consonant sound of "portrait", the phrase is grammatically flawed. Ludwig AI highlights this grammatical error.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Academia

33%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "an portrait" is grammatically incorrect because the article "an" should only precede words that begin with a vowel sound, not just a vowel letter. "Portrait" begins with a consonant sound. Ludwig AI confirms this grammatical error. The correct usage is "a portrait". While the intended meaning—referring to a single portrait—is generally clear, using the correct grammar is essential for clear and professional communication. Some alternatives are: “one portrait”, “"the portrait"”, “"some portraits"”. The presence of the error makes the phrase unsuitable for formal settings. Therefore, always ensure that the indefinite articles "a" and "an" are used correctly based on the phonetic sound of the following word.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a portrait

Corrects the article to "a" before the noun "portrait", which starts with a consonant sound.

one portrait

Replaces the indefinite article with the numeral "one" to denote a single instance of a portrait.

the portrait

Uses the definite article "the" to refer to a specific portrait already known or under discussion.

some portraits

Uses plural form to indicate more than one portrait, employing the indefinite adjective "some".

several portraits

Uses plural form to indicate more than one portrait, employing the indefinite adjective "several".

an image

Replaces the term "portrait" with the more generic term "image".

a representation

Substitutes "portrait" with "representation", indicating a depiction or likeness.

a depiction

Substitutes "portrait" with "depiction", a visual representation of someone or something.

a likeness

Replaces "portrait" with "likeness", emphasizing the similarity to the subject.

a sketch

Uses "sketch" instead of "portrait", referring to a quickly made drawing.

FAQs

Which is correct, "an portrait" or "a portrait"?

"A portrait" is correct. The article 'a' is used before words that begin with a consonant sound, even if the letter is a vowel.

When should I use "an" instead of "a"?

Use "an" before words that begin with a vowel sound (a, e, i, o, u). For example, "an apple", "an hour", but "a university" (because "university" starts with a 'y' sound).

What are some other examples of incorrect article usage?

Common mistakes include using "an" before words like "university" or "European" because they have a consonant sound at the beginning. Similarly, using "a" before words like "hour" is incorrect because it has a vowel sound.

What can I say instead of "an portrait", assuming the speaker made a mistake?

Correct the speaker by suggesting "a portrait" or depending on context, perhaps specify "one portrait" for emphasis on singularity.