Use Of The A And An Questions Medium
Yes, you can use "a" or "an" before words starting with a silent "f." The choice between "a" and "an" depends on the sound that follows the article, not the spelling of the word. If the word starting with a silent "f" is followed by a vowel sound, you would use "an." For example, you would say "an hour" because the "h" in "hour" is silent and the word is pronounced with a vowel sound at the beginning. On the other hand, if the word starting with a silent "f" is followed by a consonant sound, you would use "a." For example, you would say "a fox" because the word "fox" is pronounced with a consonant sound at the beginning.