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This article was co-authored by Megan Callaghan, PhD. Megan Morgan is an Academic Advising and Writing expert based in Augusta, Georgia. She has over 7 years of university teaching experience and more than 15 years of professional editing experience. She works as an intern for the Law Library of Congress, and is also a Professional Writing Center Consultant at Augusta University. Her key academic interests involve reference and subject librarianship, government information, and information organization. She provides personalized writing instruction, workshops, and support for AU students, faculty, and staff. Previously, she worked as a Graduate Program Administrator at the University of Georgia’s School of Public and International Affairs. She was a Graduate Advisor for three degrees in the departments of Political Science and International Affairs at the University of Georgia College of Arts and Sciences. She earned her Master’s in Library and Information Science from Valdosta State University. She also received both a PhD and MA in English from The University of Georgia, and a BA in English and Creative Writing from the Mississippi University for Women. She wrote her PhD dissertation on narrative structure and social change in novels by 18th-century British women writers.
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It can be a little confusing to figure out where the indefinite articles "A" and "An" are used. Here is the proper way to use them.
Note to Reader: A and An rules may differ in different countries. These rules are based in America and may or may not apply elsewhere.
Steps
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Use "A" before all words that begin with consonant sounds. In English, nearly all words that begin with consonants will be preceded by the article "A."[1]- For example: a pet, a door, a green onion, a cat, a hysterical joke.
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Understand that there are some exceptions to this rule. Some words may be spelled beginning with vowels but be pronounced with initial consonant sounds. Words that begin in h, y, u, and eu or "e" are common words that can cause confusion.[2]- Use "A" when u makes the same sound as the y in you: a union, a unicorn, a used napkin, a usability study.
- Use "A" when o makes the same sound as w in won: a one-legged man.
- Use "A" when eu or "e" makes the same sound as y: a European trip, a ewe lamb
- Do not use "A" when the h is silent.
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Read words aloud if you're unsure. Sometimes, the way the word looks on the page is not enough to tell you which article to use. Read the word aloud in the way it sounds appropriate to you, and then base your article use on that.
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Use "An" before all words that begin with vowel sounds. In English, nearly all words that begin with vowels will be preceded by the article "An."[3]- For example: an apple, an elbow, an Indian.
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Understand that there are also some exceptions to this rule. Some words may be spelled beginning with consonants but be pronounced with initial vowel sounds. Words that begin in h are the most common causes of confusion, but there are some other letters that can pose a challenge, too.[4]- Use "An" before a silent h: an hour, an honorable peace, an honest error.
- Use "An" before words that are spelled with consonants but pronounced with vowel sounds: an MBA.
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Understand that pronunciation may vary depending on geographical location. For example, British and American pronunciation of certain words varies dramatically, particularly words beginning in h such as "herb." In American pronunciation, the h is silent, so correct usage would be "an herb." But in British pronunciation, the h is pronounced, so correct usage would be a herb. -
Understand that the word "historic" is a special case. There is substantial debate over whether the correct usage is "a historic event" or "an historic event." Nearly all style handbooks and usage guides prefer "a historic event," citing the consonant sound explanation given in this article. However, you may see "an historic" crop up from time to time, particularly amongst British writers.[5]- Some American writers will also use "an" with longish words (three or more syllables) beginning with H, where the first syllable isn't accented: "a hypothesis," "an habitual offender."
"A" vs. "An" Usage Chart
Community Q&A
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QuestionDo I use "a" or "an" before MS?
Community AnswerUse "an" before MS. For example, "An MS patient may have a shorter lifespan than someone without the disease." -
QuestionHow do I know if I should use a or an when in front of a number?
Community AnswerWhen you say something like "a five-gallon bucket" or "an eleven-piece band", you follow the same rules as outlined in the article. -
QuestionIs it correct to say: You are an elegant beauty?
Community AnswerYes, that is correct.
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Tips
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It's interesting to note that these rules for "a" and "an" also apply to the word "the". Although "the" is always spelled the same way, the "e" in it can be pronounced as in "umbrella" or as in "me". Normally (when you'd use "a"), pronounce it as "umbrella". But when you'd use "an", you should pronounce it as "thee" (like "me").Thanks
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"A" and "An" are indefinite articles, meaning they don't refer to a particular or special word. If you need something to get you to work, but any old car will do, you would say "I need a car." If you need a very specific car, such as one you share with your roommate, you would say "I need the car."Thanks
References
- ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/grammar/articles_a_versus_an.html
- ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/grammar/using_articles.html
- ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/grammar/articles_a_versus_an.html
- ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/grammar/articles_a_versus_an.html
- ↑ https://www.thesaurus.com/e/grammar/an-historic-vs-a-historic/
About This Article
To correctly use “A” and “An,” use “A” before words that begin with consonant sounds and “An” before words that begin with vowel sounds. For example, say "a pet" or "a green onion," since these word begin with consonants. For words that begin with vowels, use "An," instead, as in "an apple" or "an elbow." However, there are exceptions, including that you also use “A” with words that start with vowels but are pronounced like consonants, and “An” with words that start with consonants but are pronounced like vowels. To learn more from our English Language expert about exceptions to the rule of using “A” and “An,” read on!
Reader Success Stories
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"Step 2 in using 'A' correctly was very helpful. But overall, the whole article was definitely helpful. I started looking for usage of 'a' and 'an' when my daughter told me that it's 'A Unicorn' and I wasn't 100% sure about it."..." more
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