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Subject:Re: Grammar help "a RMA" or "an RMA"? From:Laura Lemay <lemay -at- lauralemay -dot- com> To:shawn -at- cohodata -dot- com Date:Wed, 7 May 2014 09:22:00 -0700
Pick one and use it consistently. It's not worth overthinking it.
I will note, however, that I work in consumer electronics, and we always use "an RMA."
Laura
On May 6, 2014, at 3:40 PM, Shawn <shawn -at- cohodata -dot- com> wrote:
> Greetings all,
>
> I am experimenting with ProWriting Aid (see this review:
>http://robinbneal.com/2014/03/23/robo-grader-review-prowritingaid-google-add-on/).
> When you are a one-person tech doc team, even a mediocre tool like this is
> pretty useful for proofing.
>
> While running a grammar check, it pointed out the following sentence:
> "...10 business days after receipt of a RMA number."
> and suggested that I write this as "an RMA".
>
> I understand that if a word begins with a vowel... but I don't think it
> does. However, for the sake of curiosity, I decided to do a Google search
> for ["a RMA" or "an RMA"].What I found was absolutely no consistency. Even
> within a single document, both "a" and "an" were used. :-O
>
> I am inclined to consistently use "a RMA", throughout my document.
>
> Can anyone offer some advice?
>
> Thanks
>
> --
> *Shawn Connelly*
> Technical writer
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Doc-To-Help 2014 v1 now available. SharePoint 2013 support, NetHelp enhancements, and more. Read all about it.