A vs. An
Blending article sounds before nouns
A or an before consonants or vowels
| A |
|---|
Before a consonant sound (not spelling), speakers use the article a – /ə/ when stressed /eɪ/. |
This is a global business. /ˈgloʊbəl/ |
We have a hundred employees. /ˈhʌndrɪd/ |
The company has a CEO. /si/ CEO – chief executive officer |
The director has a university e-mail address. /ˌyunəˈvɜrsɪti/ |
| AN |
|---|
Before a vowel sound (not spelling), speakers use the article an – /ən/ when stressed /æn/. The /n/ serves as a transition sound between two vowel sounds. |
This is an electronic business. /ɪlɛkˈtrɒnɪk, ˌilɛk-/ |
We have an eight-hundred-employee company. /eɪt/ |
The company has an NIH grant. /ˈɛn/ NIH – National Institute of Health |
The director has an unlisted e-mail address. /ʌnˈlɪstɪd/ |
IPA Pronunciation Key
global (adj.) – world
employee (n.) – worker
A / An
Before a Vowel Sound
The pronunciation determines the spelling!
| A |
|---|
Using a or an depends on pronunciation, which may vary among speakers of English around the world. Words beginning with h, u, w and y need special attention. Pronouncing the word helps us decide which article to use. |
| BEFORE A CONSONANT SOUND |
a baby, a lemon, a car, a kiss |
| BEFORE AN H SOUND IN A STRESSED SYLLABLE |
a housewife, a hurricane, a history, a horror movie, a helicopter, a hanger, a handkerchief, a herb /hɜrb/ Eng-Br |
| BEFORE AN H SOUND IN AN UNSTRESSED SYLLABLE |
a hotel, a horrific event, a historical event, a hysterical moment, a hypothesis The use of a/an varies in these words depending on whether h, is pronouncd or is silent. |
| BEFORE A W SOUND |
a one-hour break /wʌn–/, a wonderful life, not a one |
| BEFORE A Y SOUND |
a university /yu-/, a unit, a eulogy, a youth |
| AN |
|---|
An is used before words with silent initial letters and with some letters and numbers. Syllable stress in words of multiple syllables also affects a speaker's choice of a or an. |
| BEFORE A VOWEL SOUND |
an apple, an eye, an opening, an urn, an initial |
| BEFORE SILENT H IN A STRESSED SYLLABLE |
an hour, an honor, an honest man, *an herb /ɜrb/ Eng-US, |
| BEFORE SILENT H IN AN UNSTRESSED SYLLABLE |
an hotel, an horrific event, an historical event, an hysterical moment, an hypothesis |
| BEFORE SOME NAMES OF LETTERS |
an MP, an NAACP resolution, give me an A, give me an R, give me an S |
| BEFORE SOME NUMBER |
an 800 number, an 11-person group,
|
*herb /hɜrb/ Eng-Br, /ɜrb/ Eng-US (n.) – a small plant that is used to improve the taste of food or to make medicine
honour Eng-Br, honor Eng-US (n.)
World Wide Words "The situation is complicated by a shift that has been taking place in the pronunciation of words with initial h over the past couple of centuries."
"a/an". Merriam Webster's Dictionary of English Usage. Springfield, Massachusetts, 1993. p. 1.
Practice 1
Taking a Prep Course
Select the a or an form.
- Select the response from the list that best completes the sentence.
- Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "check" button.