Use Of The A And An Questions Medium
When deciding whether to use "a" or "an" before words starting with a silent "u," it is important to consider the sound that follows the article. The general rule is to use "an" before words that begin with a silent "u" when the following sound is a vowel sound. This is because "an" is used before words that start with vowel sounds, regardless of the actual letter.
For example, we say "an umbrella" because the "u" in "umbrella" is silent, and the following sound is the vowel sound "uh." Similarly, we say "an hour" because the "h" in "hour" is silent, and the following sound is the vowel sound "ow."
However, if the following sound is a consonant sound, we use "a" before words starting with a silent "u." For instance, we say "a university" because the "u" in "university" is silent, but the following sound is the consonant sound "yoo."
In summary, when deciding whether to use "a" or "an" before words starting with a silent "u," consider the sound that follows the article. Use "an" if the following sound is a vowel sound and "a" if it is a consonant sound.