an useful addition to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "an useful addition to" is not correct in written English.
The correct form is "a useful addition to" because "useful" begins with a consonant sound. Example: "This new software is a useful addition to our existing tools."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The raw numbers of shared RGCs can be an useful addition to the statistical test (see the analysis of the plants–animals fungi trifurcation above).

Genome Biology and Evolution

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

And for many investors, a Ginnie Mae fund can be a useful addition to a retirement account, such as an Individual Retirement Account (IRA).

Forbes

Wodehouse was an imposing figure, more than 6ft tall and in his day both a penetrating fast bowler and a useful addition to a rugby scrum.

The Guardian - Books

A word is a useful addition to your vocabulary if it reduces the number of words in a sentence.

WikiHow

I had researched Bruno Mars because I admire his talent and love his music, and suspected that he would have an intriguing back story (he does), but this man regarded him merely as a useful addition to a database.

Huffington Post

The 88-page guidebook's design and building supplies source list is a useful addition to an opinionated tour of the best architecture in Los Angeles; [phone].

The New York Times

Which would be a useful addition to an under-developed market.

BBC

Our hypothesis was that such an approach would be a useful addition to the existing techniques.

Journal of Experimental Orthopaedics

I could easily see this as a useful addition to an existing service and the heavy Google Maps and Yelp integration hearkens to this aspiration.

TechCrunch

It's clear why Alibaba wants Wandoujia: an app store makes a useful addition to its existing ecosystem of mobile businesses and services.

TechCrunch

A useful addition to a genre that prizes brain over brawn.

The Guardian - Music

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use the article "a" before words that start with a consonant sound, and "an" before words that start with a vowel sound. For example, use "a useful addition" instead of "an useful addition".

Common error

Avoid using "an" before words that begin with a consonant sound. While "useful" starts with a vowel letter, it begins with a consonant sound ('yoo'), thus requiring the article "a".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an useful addition to" functions as a noun phrase intended to describe something that provides a benefit or enhancement. However, as Ludwig AI indicates, it is grammatically incorrect due to the improper use of the article.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Formal & Business

10%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "an useful addition to" is intended to convey that something is a helpful or valuable supplement. However, as Ludwig AI points out, it is grammatically incorrect because the article "an" should only be used before words that begin with a vowel sound, not just a vowel letter. Since "useful" begins with a consonant sound ('yoo'), the correct form is "a useful addition to". While this error appears in various sources, particularly in news, science, and academic contexts, it's important to use the grammatically correct version in formal writing. Alternatives like "a valuable addition to" or "a helpful addition to" are also suitable depending on the specific context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a valuable addition to

Replaces 'useful' with 'valuable' and corrects the article to 'a'.

a helpful addition to

Substitutes 'useful' with 'helpful' and uses the correct article 'a'.

a beneficial addition to

Replaces 'useful' with 'beneficial' and corrects the article to 'a'.

a practical addition to

Substitutes 'useful' with 'practical' and uses the correct article 'a'.

a worthwhile addition to

Replaces 'useful' with 'worthwhile' and uses the correct article 'a'.

a significant contribution to

Shifts the focus to 'contribution' rather than 'addition' while maintaining a similar meaning.

a key component of

Focuses on the essential nature of the addition.

an important element of

Rephrases the addition as a crucial 'element'.

a major asset for

Highlights the positive impact of the 'asset'.

a positive enhancement to

Emphasizes the improvement brought about by the addition.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "an useful addition to"?

The correct phrase is "a useful addition to". The article "a" is used before words starting with a consonant sound, even if the word begins with a vowel letter, as in the case of "useful".

What can I say instead of "an useful addition to"?

You can use alternatives like "a valuable addition to", "a helpful addition to", or "a beneficial addition to".

Is "an useful addition to" grammatically correct?

No, "an useful addition to" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "a useful addition to" because the word "useful" starts with a consonant sound, despite the initial vowel letter.

What's the difference between "an useful addition to" and "a useful addition to"?

"An useful addition to" is grammatically incorrect, while "a useful addition to" is correct. The choice of the article "a" or "an" depends on the sound that follows it, not necessarily the letter. Because "useful" begins with a consonant sound, "a" is the appropriate article.