What is the rule for using A or An before words starting with silent vowel sounds?

Use Of The A And An Questions Long



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What is the rule for using A or An before words starting with silent vowel sounds?

The rule for using "A" or "An" before words starting with silent vowel sounds is based on the sound of the following word, rather than the actual letter it begins with.

When the following word begins with a consonant sound, we use "A." For example, "a university," "a one-eyed monster," or "a European country." Even though the words "university," "one-eyed," and "European" start with vowels, they are pronounced with a consonant sound at the beginning, so we use "A" before them.

On the other hand, when the following word begins with a vowel sound, we use "An." For instance, "an hour," "an honest person," or "an apple." Although the words "hour," "honest," and "apple" start with consonants, they are pronounced with a vowel sound at the beginning, so we use "An" before them.

It is important to note that the decision to use "A" or "An" is based on the sound, not the spelling of the word. Therefore, it is crucial to consider the pronunciation of the following word to determine whether to use "A" or "An" correctly.