an sample

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "an sample" is not correct in written English.
It should be "a sample" because "sample" begins with a consonant sound. Example: "I would like to request a sample of your product for evaluation."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

Psychosomatic syndromes allow to identify subgroups of patients with different features; particularly, we found that 25% of the AN sample reported relevant psychosomatic problems probably associated to longer duration of illness.

BMC Psychiatry

This sample platform accommodates an sample cell, which is airtight to allow for operation under vacuum.

Materials for Renewable and Sustainable Energy

This example will illustrate the states and various controls of the watershed architecture for an sample data.

EURASIP Journal on Embedded Systems

The operational flowchart of the watershed algorithm is shown in Figure 5. Figure 4 Example of four-connectivity watershed performed on an sample data.

EURASIP Journal on Embedded Systems

In carrying out the case studies, in addition to the guidelines for using computer support and the exercise of specifying a simple system, the students also had an sample project in the repository of the computational support in the hotel domain, containing 25 requirements that could be reused.

Journal of Software Engineering Research and Development

Depicted above and below is an sample urban diary of a Seattle walk from the city's Madrona neighborhood to Lake Washington and back, across both the public and private domains.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

It was a sample blow, an introduction.

The New Yorker

Fig. 2 a Normalized PL spectra of TPE-An sample before and after grinding.

Nanoscale Research Letters

Take a listen to a sample below.

The Guardian - Music

b Representative 1HNMR spectrum of TPE-An sample in CDCl3.

Nanoscale Research Letters

A sample: A.A.R.P.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "a sample" instead of "an sample" when referring to a single instance. Remember that "a" is used before consonant sounds, while "an" is used before vowel sounds.

Common error

Avoid using "an" before words that begin with a consonant sound. Saying "an sample" is incorrect; always use "a sample."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an sample" functions as an incorrect noun phrase. As pointed out by Ludwig AI, the indefinite article "an" is misused before the word "sample" which begins with a consonant sound. This violates a fundamental rule of English grammar.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

43%

News & Media

43%

Formal & Business

14%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The query "an sample" presents a common grammatical error in English. As Ludwig AI clearly indicates, the correct form is "a sample" because the word "sample" begins with a consonant sound. This seemingly small mistake can impact clarity, therefore, it is important to ensure accuracy in article usage. Examples found by Ludwig span various contexts like scientific publications and news articles, showing this error is not limited to a specific register. Remember that "a" precedes consonant sounds, while "an" precedes vowel sounds. Using resources like Ludwig can help prevent such errors and refine your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a sample

Corrects the grammatical error in the original phrase by using the appropriate article.

an example

Replaces "sample" with a synonym while maintaining a general sense of representation.

a specimen

Offers a more formal or scientific alternative to "sample."

a test case

Implies a more structured or experimental context for the sample.

a demonstration

Suggests the sample is being used to illustrate or prove something.

a representative

Highlights the sample's role in embodying a larger group or category.

a portion

Emphasizes the part-whole relationship of the sample.

an excerpt

Focuses on a selected part of a text or piece of work.

a trial

Conveys the sense of testing or experimentation.

a preview

Indicates the sample offers a glimpse of something larger or upcoming.

FAQs

What's the correct way to say "an sample"?

The correct phrase is "a sample". The article "a" should be used before words that begin with a consonant sound.

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

Use "a" before words starting with a consonant sound (e.g., "a sample", "a car"). Use "an" before words starting with a vowel sound (e.g., "an apple", "an hour").

Are there any situations where "an sample" would be correct?

No, "an sample" is grammatically incorrect in standard English. The word "sample" begins with a consonant sound, so it always requires the article "a."

What are some synonyms for "a sample"?

Depending on the context, you could use synonyms like "an example", "a specimen", or "a demonstration".