Use Of The A And An Questions Medium
You should use "an" before words starting with a silent "h" when the following word begins with a vowel sound. This is because the purpose of using "a" or "an" is to create a smooth and easy flow of speech. So, if the silent "h" is followed by a word that starts with a vowel sound, it is more appropriate to use "an" to maintain the smoothness of pronunciation. For example, "an hour" or "an honest person." However, if the silent "h" is followed by a word that starts with a consonant sound, you should use "a." For example, "a hotel" or "a historic event."