Use Of The A And An Questions Medium
Yes, you can use "a" or "an" before words starting with a weakly stressed syllable. The choice between "a" and "an" depends on the sound that follows the article, not the stress of the syllable.
Generally, "a" is used before words that begin with a consonant sound, while "an" is used before words that begin with a vowel sound. However, there are exceptions to this rule.
For example, even though the word "hour" starts with a weakly stressed syllable, it is pronounced with a silent "h" sound, which is a vowel sound. Therefore, we say "an hour" instead of "a hour."
Similarly, words like "honest" and "honor" start with a weakly stressed syllable, but they are pronounced with a silent "h" sound, so we say "an honest person" and "an honor."
In summary, the choice between "a" and "an" is determined by the sound that follows the article, not the stress of the syllable.