NSPredicate *predicate = [NSPredicate predicateWithFormat:@"(name LIKE "a*")", toFind];
[request setPredicate:predicate];

NSArray *items = [context executeFetchRequest:request error:&error];

NSString *toFind = @"a";
NSPredicate *predicate = [NSPredicate predicateWithFormat:@"(name LIKE "%@*")", toFind];
[request setPredicate:predicate];

NSArray *items = [context executeFetchRequest:request error:&error];

NSString *toFind = @"apple";
NSPredicate *predicate = [NSPredicate predicateWithFormat:@"(name = %@)", toFind];
[request setPredicate:predicate];

NSArray *items = [context executeFetchRequest:request error:&error];

NSString *variableWildcard = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"%@*", toFind];
[NSPredicate predicateWithFormat:@"(name LIKE %@)", variableWildcard]; // variable
[NSPredicate predicateWithFormat:@"(name LIKE "a*")", toFind];       // constant

NSPredicate *predicate = [NSPredicate predicateWithFormat:@"(name LIKE[cd] %@)", [toFind stringByAppendingString:@"*"]];