around a hour

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "around a hour" is not correct in written English.
The correct form is "around an hour" due to the use of the article "an" before a vowel sound. Example: "It will take around an hour to complete the project."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

"I took 1,200 photos total over around a hour and a half," he said.

Huffington Post

This normally takes a week of around a hour a night to see good long lasting results.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

The bus journey takes around an hour.

The Guardian - Travel

The show lasts around an hour and a half.

The Guardian - Travel

Tours take around an hour and a half, and cost from £15.

Independent

Each round of voting is expected to take around an hour or more to complete.

The Guardian

Ferry crossings from Naples to Ischia take around an hour, adult return from €37.

The Guardian - Travel

Bake for around an hour, keeping the oven door firmly shut for the first 45 minutes.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The journey into the city will cost around 250,000Rp (£12.50) and take around an hour, depending on the traffic.

Independent

The large, brightly lit screen reduces battery life to around an hour and a half.

Forbes

Instead of a grueling war of endurance, the fast-paced contest only takes around an hour.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "an" instead of "a" before words that begin with a vowel sound, such as "hour". So, prefer "around an hour".

Common error

Avoid using the article "a" before words starting with a vowel sound. Using "a hour" is a common mistake; the correct usage is "an hour".

Linguistic Context

The phrase is intended to function as an adverbial phrase of time, modifying a verb by indicating an approximate duration. However, due to the incorrect use of the article, it fails to fulfill its intended grammatical function correctly. Ludwig AI points out this is not correct.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Wiki

33%

Science

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "around a hour" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided in formal writing. The correct phrase is "around an hour". This is because the article "an" must be used before words that begin with a vowel sound. While Ludwig shows some instances of the incorrect phrase, these instances should not be taken as examples of proper grammar. The phrase's intended purpose is to indicate an approximate time, and can be replaced with "about an hour" or "approximately an hour" for similar meaning. Always ensure correct article usage for clear and professional communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

around an hour

Uses the correct article "an" before the vowel sound in "hour".

about an hour

Replaces "around" with "about", offering a more direct and common approximation.

approximately an hour

Uses "approximately" for a more formal and precise-sounding estimation.

in about an hour

Adds "in" to specify a future time frame, implying something will happen after the estimated time.

roughly an hour

Uses "roughly" as a synonym for "around", indicating an imprecise estimate.

close to an hour

Indicates the duration is near an hour.

nearly an hour

Similar to "close to", suggests the time is just shy of a full hour.

almost an hour

Implies that the duration is slightly less than an hour.

about one hour

Replaces the indefinite article "an" with "one", slightly emphasizing the single hour.

in the vicinity of an hour

A more formal way to express an approximation of time.

FAQs

Why is "around a hour" incorrect?

The phrase "around a hour" is incorrect because the article "a" is used before a word that begins with a vowel sound. The correct article to use is "an", so the correct phrase is "around an hour".

What can I say instead of "around a hour"?

You can use alternatives like "around an hour", "about an hour", or "approximately an hour".

Which is correct, "around a hour" or "around an hour"?

"Around an hour" is correct. The article "an" is used before words that start with a vowel sound, such as "hour".

What's the difference between "around a hour" and "around an hour"?

"Around a hour" is grammatically incorrect. "Around an hour" is the correct form, using the appropriate article "an" before the vowel sound in "hour".