Do you type "An fps" or "A fps"?

[IamQ]

I've found myself in this weird situation now. I know that since 'f' isn't a vowel, I should have 'a' in front of it, but once I type that, like for instance "I want to play a fps" it gets frustrating to read since I read it as "eff pee ess", but if I type it as 'I want to play an fps" it also gets frustrating, because it looks like bad grammar.

So how do you do it when at situations like these?

 

[Radeonx]

I type "An fps", because you only use "an" in front of words that begin with vowels, and you pronounce "FPS" as efff pee ess, as you explained in your post. However, if I say "First person shooter", I'll use "a".

 

[Cuddly Knife]

I say "an fps", because if I were saying it it to an actual person, that's the way it would go. The only time I'll use "a" is when I put "first person shooter".

 

[randomsix]

Pronounced "eff-pee-ess" and therefor should have an "an" article.

 

[Korten12]

A fps. I dont know why it sounds better.

 

[Troop60pirate]

it should be written as "an fps". the word "an" is used before any word starting with a vowel sound, regardless of the what first letter is.

 

[DrDeath3191]

I type "a first-person shooter" to avoid that issue.

I'm lying of course: an FPS.

 

[That One Six]

I use 'an FPS' if I ever say/type it. I'm grammatically correct! Yay!

 

[MarsProbe]

You use 'an' before.... oh god what's the term.... errr.... having a mind blank right here, but things like 'fps' 'rts' 'nasa' 'kgb' etc.

Acronym? Though wouldn't you say "a NASA" as opposed to to "an NASA", seeing that NASA starts with an N? Though really, as there is only one NASA, neither are really appropriate...

Yeh, I'm done nitpicking for now.

 

[drakenabarion]

Acronyms don't follow the normal rules of the English language. You are perfectly correct to say "An FPS" so you should also write it that way. (English is a literal written language not an interpreted one ).

 

[L3m0n_L1m3]

I type "an fps" because I pronounce it "eff-pee-es".

 

[Sethzard]

an FPS, a first person shooter

 

[Doktor Merkwurdigliebe]

I type "An fps", because you only use "an" in front of words that begin with vowels, and you pronounce "FPS" as efff pee ess, as you explained in your post. However, if I say "First person shooter", I'll use "a".

Well, /thread

 

[WhiteTiger225]

I type "A fps" I say "An FPS" or else it comes out sounding as if I am saying "AFPS"

 

[AkJay]

I type "An fps", because you only use "an" in front of words that begin with vowels, and you pronounce "FPS" as efff pee ess, as you explained in your post. However, if I say "First person shooter", I'll use "a".

Yea, this pretty much sums it up, haha.

 

[BuckminsterF]

A comes before b, c, d, g, j, k, p, q, t, u, v, w, y, and z
An before a, e, f, h, i, l, m, n, o, r, and s

 

[Aardvark]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_and_an#Discrimination_between_a_and_an

Always check Wikipedia first!

 

[Sonicron]

You use 'an' before.... oh god what's the term.... errr.... having a mind blank right here, but things like 'fps' 'rts' 'nasa' 'kgb' etc.

Acronym? Though wouldn't you say "a NASA" as opposed to to "an NASA", seeing that NASA starts with an N? Though really, as there is only one NASA, neither are really appropriate...

Yeh, I'm done nitpicking for now.

I want to pick nits, too! 'FPS' is NOT an acronym, it's an initialism. Acronyms are abbreviations which can be read aloud using conventional reading and pronunciation rules (such as NASA or UNESCO), whereas initialisms are abbreviations where this cannot be applied (as is the case with FPS, RTS, ...).
PLEASE don't set me on fire! ^^°