TextRanch

The best way to perfect your writing.

Discover why 1,062,726 users count on TextRanch to get their English corrected!

1. Input your text below.
2. Get it corrected in a few minutes by our editors.
3. Improve your English!

One of our experts will correct your English.

Our experts

An x-ray vs A x-ray

The correct phrase is 'an x-ray'. The use of 'an' is determined by the sound of the following word, not its spelling. Since 'x-ray' starts with a vowel sound, 'an' is used. 'A x-ray' is incorrect because it violates the rule of using 'an' before words that start with a vowel sound.

Last updated: March 15, 2024 • 1399 views

An x-ray

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

Use 'an x-ray' when referring to a medical imaging technique that uses electromagnetic radiation to view the inside of the body.

Examples:

  • She had an x-ray to check for any broken bones.
  • An x-ray revealed a fracture in his arm.
  • Jan 7, 2011 ... Likewise, as you say "EX-RAY", you say, "An X-Ray". The way the word is pronounced is the key factor here, rather than the spelling.
  • An X-ray is a quick, painless test that produces images of the structures inside your body — particularly your bones. X-ray beams pass through your body, and ...
  • An x-ray machine sends individual x-ray particles through the body. The images are recorded on a computer or film. Structures that are dense (such as bone) will  ...
  • X-rays can be generated by an X-ray tube, a vacuum tube that uses a high voltage to accelerate the electrons released by a hot cathode to a high velocity.

Alternatives:

  • a radiograph
  • a radiogram
  • a radiograph image
  • a radiographic image
  • a radiographic scan

A x-ray

This phrase is incorrect in English.

  • Jan 7, 2011 ... I was asking this question on Area 51: "How do I tell if an airport scanner is a X- ray scanner?", but I keep wanting to put an 'an' in front of X-ray ...
  • An x-ray (although X is not a vowel, the pronunciation of the X sounds as a vowel. So if you try to pronounce "a x-ray" would sound terrible. Correct "An x-ray).
  • What do penicillin, Super Glue and X-rays have in common? Their inventors all discovered them by accident! In 1895, German physicist Wilhelm Roentgen ...
  • ... titled “Means for Separately Controlling the Filament Current and Voltage on a X-Ray Tube”, granted to McNulty on November 29, 1966 and showing its patent ...

Related Comparisons

What Our Customers Are Saying

Our customers love us! We have an average rating of 4.79 stars based on 283,125 votes.
Also check out our 2,100+ reviews on TrustPilot (4.9TextRanch on TrustPilot).

Why choose TextRanch?

Lowest prices
Up to 50% lower than other online editing sites.

Fastest Times
Our team of editors is working for you 24/7.

Qualified Editors
Native English experts for UK or US English.

Top Customer Service
We are here to help. Satisfaction guaranteed!