what article (a/an) to use when there when there's a parenthesis following it?When do we use a singular noun...
Is it safe to remove the bottom chords of a series of garage roof trusses?
!I!n!s!e!r!t! !n!b!e!t!w!e!e!n!
Co-author responds to email by mistake cc'ing the EiC
How would one country purchase another?
Should my "average" PC be able to discern the potential of encountering a gelatinous cube from subtle clues?
The logic of invoking virtual functions is not clear (or it is method hiding?)
How to get the pandadocs from an opportunity?
How big would a Daddy Longlegs Spider need to be to kill an average Human?
How should I think about joining a company whose business I do not understand?
Does C++20 mandate source code being stored in files?
What's /System/Volumes/Data?
Was 'help' pronounced starting with a vowel sound?
What is the evidence on the danger of feeding whole blueberries and grapes to infants and toddlers?
Chess software to analyze games
Was Switzerland really impossible to invade during WW2?
Is a butterfly one or two animals?
Why doesn't mathematics collapse even though humans quite often make mistakes in their proofs?
Metal that glows when near pieces of itself
Potential new partner angry about first collaboration - how to answer email to close up this encounter in a graceful manner
Why were movies shot on film shot at 24 frames per second?
Taking out number of subarrays from an array which contains all the distinct elements of that array
Are thrust levers synchronized by default when pushed/pulled?
Is it appropriate for a prospective landlord to ask me for my credit report?
Starships without computers?
what article (a/an) to use when there when there's a parenthesis following it?
When do we use a singular noun on its own without an article?Is “you think” a parenthesis ? Or it is a subject and a predicate of a object clause which in an attributive clause?Use of the definite articleWhen should I use “some” before a category?Should I use an article in this sentenceDoes an (optionally) parenthesised word influence choice of article “a” vs “an”, or ðə vs ðiː?Can I use article 'the' with a plural noun?use of the definite article ' the'use of an articleShould I use an article when I'm talking about general facts in comparative structures?
.everyoneloves__top-leaderboard:empty,.everyoneloves__mid-leaderboard:empty,.everyoneloves__bot-mid-leaderboard:empty{ margin-bottom:0;
}
I just wrote down a sentence like this
This is __ (infinite) subset.
Should I use a or an here? Do I consider what's in the parenthesis when choosing the article?
articles parenthesis
asked 2 days ago
triscttrisct
5352 silver badges14 bronze badges
add a comment |
I just wrote down a sentence like this
This is __ (infinite) subset.
Should I use a or an here? Do I consider what's in the parenthesis when choosing the article?
articles parenthesis
asked 2 days ago
triscttrisct
5352 silver badges14 bronze badges
add a comment |
I just wrote down a sentence like this
This is __ (infinite) subset.
Should I use a or an here? Do I consider what's in the parenthesis when choosing the article?
articles parenthesis
asked 2 days ago
triscttrisct
5352 silver badges14 bronze badges
I just wrote down a sentence like this
This is __ (infinite) subset.
Should I use a or an here? Do I consider what's in the parenthesis when choosing the article?
articles parenthesis
articles parenthesis
asked 2 days ago
triscttrisct
5352 silver badges14 bronze badges
asked 2 days ago
triscttrisct
5352 silver badges14 bronze badges
asked 2 days ago
triscttrisct
5352 silver badges14 bronze badges
asked 2 days ago
triscttrisct
5352 silver badges14 bronze badges
asked 2 days ago
triscttrisct
5352 silver badges14 bronze badges
5352 silver badges14 bronze badges
add a comment |
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
You should usually consider what is in the brackets, if it is part of the text. In this case "infinite" is part of the text and you would use "an".
Imagine you are reading the text to someone. Would you speak the words in the brackets? if so then you should consider the sound of those words.
It is hard to imagine situation where you wouldn't use "an". Here is an artificial one. You need to provide a reference for there being only one so you put the citation after the word "a". You wouldn't read the citation text if speaking a paper out loud.
This is a (Elmer, 2017) subset.
However, don't do that. It looks horrible and you don't need to put the citation there.
You don't really need to use brackets around "infinite". If it is useful I would just include it. If it is truly parenthetical then you should consider just removing it.
answered 2 days ago
James KJames K
53.5k1 gold badge60 silver badges127 bronze badges
Thanks for the answer. Let me just give you a little more context: I am writing a proposition, at the end of which I write "this is an (infinite) subset". The "infinite" part is not proven yet but I believe the reader should know, hence I put it in the brackets. Should I use "an" in this case? Also, can you provide an example where "a" is used instead?
– trisct
2 days ago
1
If it is not proven then the reader doesn't know. I suppose you could say "This is a subset, which we shall later prove to be infinite" or "... that it is an infinite subset is left as an exercise to the reader" or something. Is the fact that it is infinite important? If so no brackets. Not important? Then cut it out.
– James K
2 days ago
1
I fondly remember a 7th-grade teacher employing the maxim (at least with me, since I was—and, clearly, still am—prone to parentheticals and other asides) that “if it is important enough to include at all, it’s important enough to include outside parentheses.”
– KRyan
2 days ago
add a comment |
Your Answer
StackExchange.ready(function() {
var channelOptions = {
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "481"
};
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);
StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
createEditor();
});
}
else {
createEditor();
}
});
function createEditor() {
StackExchange.prepareEditor({
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader: {
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
},
noCode: true, onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
});
}
});
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fell.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f221650%2fwhat-article-a-an-to-use-when-there-when-theres-a-parenthesis-following-it%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
You should usually consider what is in the brackets, if it is part of the text. In this case "infinite" is part of the text and you would use "an".
Imagine you are reading the text to someone. Would you speak the words in the brackets? if so then you should consider the sound of those words.
It is hard to imagine situation where you wouldn't use "an". Here is an artificial one. You need to provide a reference for there being only one so you put the citation after the word "a". You wouldn't read the citation text if speaking a paper out loud.
This is a (Elmer, 2017) subset.
However, don't do that. It looks horrible and you don't need to put the citation there.
You don't really need to use brackets around "infinite". If it is useful I would just include it. If it is truly parenthetical then you should consider just removing it.
answered 2 days ago
James KJames K
53.5k1 gold badge60 silver badges127 bronze badges
Thanks for the answer. Let me just give you a little more context: I am writing a proposition, at the end of which I write "this is an (infinite) subset". The "infinite" part is not proven yet but I believe the reader should know, hence I put it in the brackets. Should I use "an" in this case? Also, can you provide an example where "a" is used instead?
– trisct
2 days ago
1
If it is not proven then the reader doesn't know. I suppose you could say "This is a subset, which we shall later prove to be infinite" or "... that it is an infinite subset is left as an exercise to the reader" or something. Is the fact that it is infinite important? If so no brackets. Not important? Then cut it out.
– James K
2 days ago
1
I fondly remember a 7th-grade teacher employing the maxim (at least with me, since I was—and, clearly, still am—prone to parentheticals and other asides) that “if it is important enough to include at all, it’s important enough to include outside parentheses.”
– KRyan
2 days ago
add a comment |
You should usually consider what is in the brackets, if it is part of the text. In this case "infinite" is part of the text and you would use "an".
Imagine you are reading the text to someone. Would you speak the words in the brackets? if so then you should consider the sound of those words.
It is hard to imagine situation where you wouldn't use "an". Here is an artificial one. You need to provide a reference for there being only one so you put the citation after the word "a". You wouldn't read the citation text if speaking a paper out loud.
This is a (Elmer, 2017) subset.
However, don't do that. It looks horrible and you don't need to put the citation there.
You don't really need to use brackets around "infinite". If it is useful I would just include it. If it is truly parenthetical then you should consider just removing it.
answered 2 days ago
James KJames K
53.5k1 gold badge60 silver badges127 bronze badges
Thanks for the answer. Let me just give you a little more context: I am writing a proposition, at the end of which I write "this is an (infinite) subset". The "infinite" part is not proven yet but I believe the reader should know, hence I put it in the brackets. Should I use "an" in this case? Also, can you provide an example where "a" is used instead?
– trisct
2 days ago
1
If it is not proven then the reader doesn't know. I suppose you could say "This is a subset, which we shall later prove to be infinite" or "... that it is an infinite subset is left as an exercise to the reader" or something. Is the fact that it is infinite important? If so no brackets. Not important? Then cut it out.
– James K
2 days ago
1
I fondly remember a 7th-grade teacher employing the maxim (at least with me, since I was—and, clearly, still am—prone to parentheticals and other asides) that “if it is important enough to include at all, it’s important enough to include outside parentheses.”
– KRyan
2 days ago
add a comment |
You should usually consider what is in the brackets, if it is part of the text. In this case "infinite" is part of the text and you would use "an".
Imagine you are reading the text to someone. Would you speak the words in the brackets? if so then you should consider the sound of those words.
It is hard to imagine situation where you wouldn't use "an". Here is an artificial one. You need to provide a reference for there being only one so you put the citation after the word "a". You wouldn't read the citation text if speaking a paper out loud.
This is a (Elmer, 2017) subset.
However, don't do that. It looks horrible and you don't need to put the citation there.
You don't really need to use brackets around "infinite". If it is useful I would just include it. If it is truly parenthetical then you should consider just removing it.
answered 2 days ago
James KJames K
53.5k1 gold badge60 silver badges127 bronze badges
You should usually consider what is in the brackets, if it is part of the text. In this case "infinite" is part of the text and you would use "an".
Imagine you are reading the text to someone. Would you speak the words in the brackets? if so then you should consider the sound of those words.
It is hard to imagine situation where you wouldn't use "an". Here is an artificial one. You need to provide a reference for there being only one so you put the citation after the word "a". You wouldn't read the citation text if speaking a paper out loud.
This is a (Elmer, 2017) subset.
However, don't do that. It looks horrible and you don't need to put the citation there.
You don't really need to use brackets around "infinite". If it is useful I would just include it. If it is truly parenthetical then you should consider just removing it.
answered 2 days ago
James KJames K
53.5k1 gold badge60 silver badges127 bronze badges
edited 2 days ago
answered 2 days ago
James KJames K
53.5k1 gold badge60 silver badges127 bronze badges
answered 2 days ago
James KJames K
53.5k1 gold badge60 silver badges127 bronze badges
answered 2 days ago
James KJames K
53.5k1 gold badge60 silver badges127 bronze badges
53.5k1 gold badge60 silver badges127 bronze badges
Thanks for the answer. Let me just give you a little more context: I am writing a proposition, at the end of which I write "this is an (infinite) subset". The "infinite" part is not proven yet but I believe the reader should know, hence I put it in the brackets. Should I use "an" in this case? Also, can you provide an example where "a" is used instead?
– trisct
2 days ago
1
If it is not proven then the reader doesn't know. I suppose you could say "This is a subset, which we shall later prove to be infinite" or "... that it is an infinite subset is left as an exercise to the reader" or something. Is the fact that it is infinite important? If so no brackets. Not important? Then cut it out.
– James K
2 days ago
1
I fondly remember a 7th-grade teacher employing the maxim (at least with me, since I was—and, clearly, still am—prone to parentheticals and other asides) that “if it is important enough to include at all, it’s important enough to include outside parentheses.”
– KRyan
2 days ago
add a comment |
Thanks for the answer. Let me just give you a little more context: I am writing a proposition, at the end of which I write "this is an (infinite) subset". The "infinite" part is not proven yet but I believe the reader should know, hence I put it in the brackets. Should I use "an" in this case? Also, can you provide an example where "a" is used instead?
– trisct
2 days ago
1
If it is not proven then the reader doesn't know. I suppose you could say "This is a subset, which we shall later prove to be infinite" or "... that it is an infinite subset is left as an exercise to the reader" or something. Is the fact that it is infinite important? If so no brackets. Not important? Then cut it out.
– James K
2 days ago
1
I fondly remember a 7th-grade teacher employing the maxim (at least with me, since I was—and, clearly, still am—prone to parentheticals and other asides) that “if it is important enough to include at all, it’s important enough to include outside parentheses.”
– KRyan
2 days ago
Thanks for the answer. Let me just give you a little more context: I am writing a proposition, at the end of which I write "this is an (infinite) subset". The "infinite" part is not proven yet but I believe the reader should know, hence I put it in the brackets. Should I use "an" in this case? Also, can you provide an example where "a" is used instead?
– trisct
2 days ago
Thanks for the answer. Let me just give you a little more context: I am writing a proposition, at the end of which I write "this is an (infinite) subset". The "infinite" part is not proven yet but I believe the reader should know, hence I put it in the brackets. Should I use "an" in this case? Also, can you provide an example where "a" is used instead?
– trisct
2 days ago
1
1
If it is not proven then the reader doesn't know. I suppose you could say "This is a subset, which we shall later prove to be infinite" or "... that it is an infinite subset is left as an exercise to the reader" or something. Is the fact that it is infinite important? If so no brackets. Not important? Then cut it out.
– James K
2 days ago
If it is not proven then the reader doesn't know. I suppose you could say "This is a subset, which we shall later prove to be infinite" or "... that it is an infinite subset is left as an exercise to the reader" or something. Is the fact that it is infinite important? If so no brackets. Not important? Then cut it out.
– James K
2 days ago
1
1
I fondly remember a 7th-grade teacher employing the maxim (at least with me, since I was—and, clearly, still am—prone to parentheticals and other asides) that “if it is important enough to include at all, it’s important enough to include outside parentheses.”
– KRyan
2 days ago
I fondly remember a 7th-grade teacher employing the maxim (at least with me, since I was—and, clearly, still am—prone to parentheticals and other asides) that “if it is important enough to include at all, it’s important enough to include outside parentheses.”
– KRyan
2 days ago
add a comment |
Thanks for contributing an answer to English Language Learners Stack Exchange!
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fell.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f221650%2fwhat-article-a-an-to-use-when-there-when-theres-a-parenthesis-following-it%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
