Use Of The A And An Questions Medium
When deciding whether to use "a" or "an" before words starting with a silent "e," it is important to consider the sound that follows the "e." The general rule is to use "an" before words starting with a silent "e" if the following sound is a vowel sound. This is because "an" is used before words that begin with vowel sounds, regardless of the actual letter.
For example, we say "an elephant" because the "e" in "elephant" is silent and the following sound is a vowel sound (/ɛ/). Similarly, we say "an hour" because the "h" in "hour" is silent and the following sound is a vowel sound (/aʊ/).
However, if the following sound is a consonant sound, we use "a" before words starting with a silent "e." For instance, we say "a European" because the "e" in "European" is silent and the following sound is a consonant sound (/jʊ/).
In summary, the choice between "a" and "an" before words starting with a silent "e" depends on the sound that follows the "e." Use "an" if the following sound is a vowel sound and use "a" if the following sound is a consonant sound.