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Articles: a / an - English lesson
A/An: The indefinite articles in English
In English, "a" and "an" are used as indefinite articles, which means they refer to a non-specific noun.
General rule:
🔹A is used before a word beginning with a consonant sound.
Examples: a book, a car, a house
🔹An is used before a word beginning with a vowel sound.
Examples: an apple, an hour, an idea
Why "a sound" and not "a letter"?
It is crucial to note that the use of "a/an" depends on the initial sound of the word, not the letter.
Example 1: "an hour"
The word "hour" begins with the letter "h", but the initial sound is a vowel (the "h" is silent).
Example 2: "a university"
The word "university" begins with the letter "u", but the initial sound is a consonant (the "u" is pronounced like a "y").
Special cases :
Words beginning with a silent "h":
We use "an" before words beginning with a silent "h".
Examples: an hour, an honor
Words beginning with "u" pronounced like "you":
We use "a" before words beginning with "u" pronounced like "you".
Examples: a university, a uniform
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