diff --git a/lib/lint.js b/lib/lint.js
index fee05ff..f102b7a 100755
--- a/lib/lint.js
+++ b/lib/lint.js
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ function lintMessageFiles(enOnly, callback) {
       if (msg.phLeftOrphans && msg.phLeftOrphans.length > 0) {
         plural = msg.phLeftOrphans.length > 1;
         console.error('***', trait.bundleName + ':' + key,
-          'seems to have ' + (plural ? '' : 'an ') +
+          'seems to have ' + (plural ? '' : 'a ') +
           'left orphan placeholder' + (plural ? 's:' : ':'));
         msg.phLeftOrphans.forEach(function(phKey) {
           console.error('***   ' + phKey);
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ function lintMessageFiles(enOnly, callback) {
       if (msg.phRightOrphans && msg.phRightOrphans.length > 0) {
         plural = msg.phRightOrphans.length > 1;
         console.error('***', trait.bundleName + ':' + key,
-          'seems to have ' + (plural ? '' : 'an ') +
+          'seems to have ' + (plural ? '' : 'a ') +
           'right orphan placeholder' + (plural ? 's:' : ':'));
         msg.phRightOrphans.forEach(function(phKey) {
           console.error('***   ' + phKey);
diff --git a/test/test-lint.js b/test/test-lint.js
index a7ffa79..2bb9fc2 100644
--- a/test/test-lint.js
+++ b/test/test-lint.js
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ var targets = {
     ],
     err: [
       '*** null en:msg002RightPrphanPlaceholderUrl seems to' +
-        ' have an right orphan placeholder:\n',
+        ' have a right orphan placeholder:\n',
       '***    url}\n',
       '*** English file is malformed. Other languages not checked.\n',
     ],
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ var targets = {
     ],
     err: [
       '*** null en:msg003LeftPrphanPlaceholderPort seems to' +
-        ' have an left orphan placeholder:\n',
+        ' have a left orphan placeholder:\n',
       '***   {port \n',
       '*** English file is malformed. Other languages not checked.\n',
     ],