A or an? Why we say "an hour" but "a university"
Go by the first sound, not the first letter. Use an before a vowel sound (an apple, an hour) and a before a consonant sound (a book, a university).
Examples
- an apple, an egg, an idea
- a book, a cat, a teacher
Watch out for
- Silent h → an: an hour, an honest person. A spoken h takes a: a house.
- U or eu sounding like "you" → a: a university, a uniform, a European city.
- Abbreviations → the letter's name: an MBA ("em-bee-ay"), a UFO ("you-eff-oh").
- Look at the very next word, even an adjective: a red apple, an old car.
Common mistakes
| Wrong | Right |
|---|---|
| an hour | |
| a university | |
| a big apple |
Try it
Choose a or an:
It was an honour to meet her.
- A. a
- B. an — Correct
Answer: B. an
Honour starts with a vowel sound, so it takes an.
Choose a or an:
Every student wears a uniform.
- A. a — Correct
- B. an
Answer: A. a
U here sounds like "you", a consonant sound, so it takes a.
Choose a or an:
He has a small apartment.
- A. a — Correct
- B. an
Answer: A. a
The article follows the very next word. Small starts with a consonant sound.