Template:A or an/doc
 | This template is used on many pages and changes may be widely noticed. Test changes in the template's /sandbox or /testcases subpages, or in your own user subpage. Consider discussing changes on the talk page before implementing them. |
 | This is a documentation subpage for Template:A or an. It may contain usage information, categories and other content that is not part of the original template page. |
 | This template uses Lua: |
This template determines whether the first word in the argument provided begins with a vowel or consonant and returns with it "a" or "an" depending on the assessment.
Usage[edit source]
In general, it returns "an" if the first letter is a, e, i, o, or u, and "a" if any other:
"{{a or an|word}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an".""{{a or an|elephant}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an"."
To capitalize "a", wrap the template in {{ucfirst:...}}.
"{{ucfirst:{{a or an|word}}}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an".""{{ucfirst:{{a or an|elephant}}}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an"."
Words beginning with a vowel letter[edit source]
Words that begin with eu, ew, uni, etc., and others like one, once, and U are exceptions:
"{{a or an|European}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an".""{{a or an|one-sided game}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an".""{{a or an|U-turn}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an".""{{a or an|Ukrainian}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an".""{{a or an|university}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an"."
Some exceptions are made to the above rule.
"{{a or an|Euler diagram}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an".""{{a or an|unimportant case}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an"."
Words beginning with a consonant letter[edit source]
Words that begin with a consonant letter also have some exceptions:
"{{a or an|heir}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an".""{{a or an|hour}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an".""{{a or an|honor}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an".""{{a or an|honour}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an".""{{a or an|nth degree}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an".""{{a or an|x-ray image}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an".""{{a or an|Xbox}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an".""{{a or an|ytterbium fiber}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an"."
Abbreviations[edit source]
Words in all caps are treated as initialisms. If an initialism begins with F, H, L, M, N, R, S, or X, it returns "an". If it begins with U, it returns "a". Thus:
"{{a or an|LED}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an".""{{a or an|led}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an".""{{a or an|URL}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an".""{{a or an|url}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an"."
Some notable acronyms are made exceptions.
"{{a or an|FIFA referee}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an".""{{a or an|NASA program}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an".""{{a or an|UNRWA ambulance}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an"."
Numbers[edit source]
If the first word begins with 8, 11, or 18, it returns "an", unless it is read with "hundred", "thousand", etc. at the beginning.
"{{a or an|11}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an".""{{a or an|18th}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an".""{{a or an|110}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an".""{{a or an|1800}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an"." (assumes it's a year)"{{a or an|1,800}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an".""{{a or an|180,000}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an".""{{a or an|180000}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an".""{{a or an|18,000,000}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an".""{{a or an|18000000}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an"."
Currency signs at the beginning are ignored.
"{{a or an|£8}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an"."
Ambiguous cases[edit source]
If |variety=us is set, herb(s) and herbal are treated as starting with a vowel sound.
"{{a or an|herb}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an".""{{a or an|herb|variety=us}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an"."
Words before which people have not settled on whether to use "a" or "an" are generally not made exceptions, so the general rules apply.
"{{a or an|FAQ}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an".""{{a or an|upsilon}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an"."
If the first letter is a non-Latin character, it returns "a" by default.
"{{a or an|あ}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an"."
If the parameter is not entered, it returns an empty string.
"{{a or an}}"→ "Script error: No such module "A or an"."