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Please look at these phrases:

I think it is a dramatic scene. I think it is a hilarious scene. I think it is an intimate scene. I think it is an ambiguous scene.

Why is the article determined by the adjective and not the noun?

tchrist
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    The *a / an* choice has no direct connection to concepts like "adjective" and "noun" - it's purely a matter of whether the *following word* starts with a *vowel sound* (in *speech*; the actual orthography is also irrelevant). – FumbleFingers Dec 30 '19 at 12:51
  • To a very high degree of accuracy, which is saying something for a rule in English, it's purely a speech aid. I wouldn't say absolute, because there exist examples of divided usage where people can't agree on the easiest way to pronounce say a historian / an historian (or have an idea that one style should be labelled incorrect). /// Thus, one writes 'He is an (extremely skilful) soccer player'. And has to alter 'an' to 'a' if the parenthetical is dropped! 'It is a[/an] N-phrase' depends on how one chooses to read the thing. – Edwin Ashworth Dec 30 '19 at 13:51

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