If a word begins with a vowel sound, then the correct article is
an
; otherwise, if it begins with a consonantal sound, the correct article is a. Because hour is typically pronounced with a silent h, an hour is correct.
Why do we put an before hour?
An hour is correct because
the “h” at the beginning is silent so hour is pronounced with a vowel sound
. Vowel sounds use the “an”.
Why an Comes Before hour?
So to answer Matt’s question, “an hour” is correct, because
“hour” starts with a vowel sound
. … Use “a” before words that start with a consonant sound and “an” before words that start with a vowel sound. Other letters can also be pronounced either way.
Why do we use an before honest?
The words
that start with a vowel sound
, like ‘honest’ or ‘honorable’, should have ‘an’ before them. … Even though these words begin with ‘h’, a consonant, when you pronounce them, the ‘h’ is silent. The first sound of the word is the vowel sound ‘o’. Hence, these words take the article ‘an’ before them.
Why do we say a unicorn and not an unicorn?
If a word that starts with a vowel takes “an,” why do we say, “a unicorn?” … Unicorn doesn’t follow the pattern because, when
you say it, it doesn’t start with a vowel
. It starts with a consonant. The sound “yu” is a consonant, so we say, “a unicorn.”
Is it correct to write an hour or a hour?
You should say,
‘an hour’
(because hour begins with a vowel sound) and ‘a history’ (because history begins with a consonant sound). You should say ‘a union’ even if union begins with a ‘u’. This is because the pronunciation begins with ‘yu’, a consonant sound.
Is it grammatically correct to say an hotel?
Hitchhiker is right
, most people us a hotel, but you can also say an hotel! The reason people use an is because the first syllable is unstressed in hotel, much like the word hierloom or historic. If the first syllable is stressed like in hospital or househusband, then you can only use a.
Why is it an hour not a hour?
So to answer Matt’s question, “an hour” is correct, because
“hour” starts with a vowel sound
. … Use “a” before words that start with a consonant sound and “an” before words that start with a vowel sound. Other letters can also be pronounced either way.
WHEN TO SAY A or an?
If the word begins with a consonant sound you would
use a, such as “a dog” and “a balloon,” as well as “a one” and “a unicorn.” If the word begins with a vowel sound, use an, such as in “an honorable man,” and with spoken acronyms like “an FBI agent.” Words like historic, with a pronounced “H,” can use either a or an.
When use a or an?
There is one simple way of remembering this. When the word begins with a vowel sound (a,e,i,o,u)
then you should use ‘an’
as it sounds better and feels easier to say. When the word begins with a consonant you should use ‘a’.
What are the 3 articles?
In English there are three articles:
a, an, and the
. Articles are used before nouns or noun equivalents and are a type of adjective. The definite article (the) is used before a noun to indicate that the identity of the noun is known to the reader.
WHY A is used before union?
Usually when a word starts with a vowel, we will use “an” before it. But for union, it is
“a union” not “an union
.” It is not explained in the previously mentioned a vs an why union is an exception. It explains how to know exceptions for h like hotels.
Why is a used before university?
So, although the letter is a vowel, it is not pronounced like one in ‘university’
because it does not have a vowel sound
. We therefore say ‘a university’. The U in umbrella is pronounced as a vowel sound ( Λ using the phonetic alphabet) and so we use ‘an’.
Is it A or an for unicorn?
Here, unicorn begins with the vowel ‘u’ but it’s pronounced more or less like ‘yoo’. ‘Unicorn’ begins with a consonant sound, so we use
‘a’
before it.
Why is unicorn so special?
The unicorn is a legendary creature that has been described since antiquity as a beast with a single large, pointed, spiraling horn projecting from its forehead. … In the encyclopedias, its horn was said to have
the power to render poisoned water potable and to heal sickness
.
What unicorn means?
As evidenced in the 2010s, this unicorn is slang for, usually,
a bisexual woman who sleeps with an existing couple composed of a heterosexual male and bisexual woman without
the expectation of emotional intimacy. The term implies that such a person is rare—like the unicorn in myth.
