preposition with abbreviation

[panosgr]

Hello all,

In my text I want to write "An AAA protocol will be used to offer authentication, authorization and accounting".

Should I say "An AAA" because it starts with a vowel or "A AAA" because someone will read it as "a triple A protocol" ?

I have also been told that you use "an" before an abbreviation regardless of the starting letter... is that true?

Thanks a lot!

 

[riquecohen]

Hello all,

In my text I want to write "An AAA protocol will be used to offer authentication, authorization and accounting".

Should I say "An AAA" because it starts with a vowel or "A AAA" because someone will read it as "a triple A protocol" ?

I have also been told that you use "an" before an abbreviation regardless of the starting letter... is that true? No.

Thanks a lot!

In the first sentence, you should use the article "an" because it is followed by a vowel sound. If you say that a bond has an AAA rating, it may very well be read as "an AAA rating" or a "triple A" rating." As for what you've been told about using "an" before any abbreviation, that is not correct. "He has a PhD from Yale."

BTW, your title should read "Article with abbreviation."

 

[panosgr]

Thank you so very much!

So "An AAA protocol" it is

ps. sorry about the title...you are right...