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When to use AN instead of A
A and AN mean the same thing. A is used before words beginning with a consonant (any letter except a, e, i, o, or u) and AN is used before words beginning with a vowel: a, e, i, o, or u; or in front of a silent h. So basically, if a word has a vowel sound, AN should be used.
Remember too, some words beginning with the letter u don’t always sound like a vowel. U has two pronunciations:
(a) uncle, umbrella, ulcer – here the U is a true vowel and AN should be used
(b) university, uniform, union – here the U has a ‘y’ sound and A should be used
Examples:
AN unofficial report
A unique form of protest
AN excellent piece of work
AN heir to the throne
A young offender
A guardian angel
AN hour later
AN effort to discredit the politician
A unified force
A meeting of athletes
A foreign university
AN interim committee
AN honest day’s work
A health centre
Adapted from Merle Hodge’s The Knots in English: A Manual for Caribbean Users; Forthcoming: Ian Randle Publishers
2 Responses to “When to use AN instead of A”
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hello, do you know where I can source a copy of this book to purchase :The Knots in English: A Manual for Caribbean Users by Merle Hodge. It seems to be out of print.
Thank you
Hello Sarita:
We’re actually reissuing this book early next year. Keep following this blog for updates.
IRP