Use Of The A And An Questions Medium
When deciding whether to use "a" or "an" before words starting with a silent "p," it is important to consider the sound that follows the "p" rather than the letter itself. The general rule is to use "an" before words that begin with a silent "p" if the following sound is a vowel sound. For example, we say "an hour" because the "h" in "hour" is silent and the following sound is a vowel sound. On the other hand, if the following sound is a consonant sound, we use "a." For instance, we say "a psychology book" because the "p" in "psychology" is silent, but the following sound is a consonant sound. Therefore, the decision to use "a" or "an" before words starting with a silent "p" depends on the sound that follows the silent "p."