a / an

a / an
A and an are called indefinite articles. the following topics explain how to use these words.

1. Use with consonant sounds
2. Use with vowel sounds
3. Use with words beginning with the letter h

1. Use with consonant sounds
A is used before words that begin with a consonant sound.

• a word
• a dark cloud
• a history book
• a once-only after
• a university student

In these example, the words word, dark, history, once, and university all begin with consonant sounds.

2. Use with vowel sounds
An is used before words that begin with a vowel sound. In English, it is difficult to say two vowel sounds alongside each other, such as, a orange, a empty. It is easier to say :

• an orange
• an empty box
• an hour

3. Use with words beginning with the letter h
Many years ago it was common for English speakers to drop the h sound in words beginning with that letter. For example, history was pronounced /istory/. A few words beginning with h, such as herb and hotel, came from French, where the beginning letter h is not pronounced.
When the h sound was not pronounced, people used an before such words.

• an 'istorical (historical) fact
• an 'erb (herb)
• an 'otel (hotel)

Today, people often pronounce the h in these words. So it makes sense to use the word a before them.

• a historical fact
• a herb
• a hotel

Some people still prefer the old custom of using an before words beginning with h, but this is a personal choice and not a matter of being 'correct'.

As a rule, if you pronounce the letter h use a before it - if you don't, then use an.

a/an

The beginning sound of a word tells you wether to use a or an - not the beginning letter.

Although the letter h is a consonant, it is silent in the beginning of some words (hour, honest, honour). these words begin with a vowel sound. So the word an is used before them.

      An hour had passed.

The word once begins with a vowel letter O, but has a consonant sound /w/. So the word a is used before it.

      This was a once only chance.

***