Grammar
A and an: choose the right indefinite article
An hour can feel short, but a university course can last for months. Hour and university both start with a vowel letter, yet they take different articles. Let the first sound guide your choice.
Choose a before a consonant sound and an before a vowel sound in a singular countable noun phrase.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
an hour and a useful guide /ən ˈaʊə(r) ən ə ˈjuːsfəl ɡaɪd/
The short answer
Use a before a consonant sound and an before a vowel sound. Say a book and an apple. This rule follows pronunciation, so say an hour but a university.
We need an umbrella for the walk.
Why it works: Umbrella starts with a vowel sound, so an comes before it.
5 more examples
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A cyclist waited near the crossing.
Cyclist begins with the consonant sound /s/, so a is the correct article.
Not this:
An artistwaited near the crossing. What changes: Artist begins with a vowel sound, so the article changes to an. -
He gave an honest answer.
The h in honest is silent, so the word begins with a vowel sound.
Not this:He gave
a helpful answer. What changes: Helpful begins with a pronounced /h/ sound, so it takes a. -
Maya is taking a university course.
University begins with the consonant sound /j/, like the start of you.
Not this:Maya is taking
an evening course. What changes: Evening begins with a vowel sound, so it takes an. -
We found an empty seat.
Empty is the word directly after the article, and it begins with a vowel sound.
Not this:We found
a comfortable seat. What changes: Comfortable begins with a consonant sound, so it takes a. -
I bought a one-way ticket.
One begins with the consonant sound /w/, even though its first letter is a vowel letter.
Not this:I bought
an online ticket. What changes: Online begins with a vowel sound, so it takes an.
Read the full guide
First, check that you are naming one countable person or thing. Then say the first word after the article aloud. If its opening sound is a consonant sound, choose a. If its opening sound is a vowel sound, choose an. This also works when an adjective comes before the noun.
Start with one countable noun
Use a or an when you name one countable person, place, or thing. A singular countable noun usually needs a word before it. The article can come directly before the noun or before an adjective and the noun.
I spoke to a neighbor after work.
Neighbor is one person, so this noun phrase can use an indefinite article.
Which phrase names one countable thing: a chair or chairs?
A chair names one countable thing. Use a or an with this singular pattern.
Choose by the opening sound
The first sound after the article chooses the form. Use a before a consonant sound and an before a vowel sound. Saying the short phrase aloud is a useful check when a word's spelling looks confusing.
She carried a backpack and an umbrella.
Backpack starts with /b/, a consonant sound. Umbrella starts with a vowel sound.
Which article fits before orange?
Use an orange because orange begins with a vowel sound.
Listen for a silent h
A word can begin with the letter h but start with a vowel sound in speech. In common words such as hour, honest, and heir, the h is silent. These words take an.
It took an hour to finish the form.
The first sound in hour is a vowel sound because the h is not pronounced.
They stayed at a hotel near the station.
Hotel begins with a pronounced /h/ sound, so it takes a.
Notice the /juː/ sound
Some words begin with a vowel letter but start with the consonant sound /j/, like the first sound in you. University, useful, uniform, and European commonly begin this way. Use a before them.
She wears a uniform at work.
Uniform begins with /j/, so it begins with a consonant sound for this rule.
Which phrase is correct: a useful app or an useful app?
Use a useful app. Useful begins with the /j/ sound, not a vowel sound.
Check adjectives before the noun
When an adjective comes before a noun, choose from the adjective because it is next to the article. The noun's opening sound does not decide the article in this pattern.
We chose an old university building.
University normally takes a, but old comes first here and begins with a vowel sound.
We chose a useful online course.
Useful comes first and begins with /j/, so the phrase starts with a.
Say abbreviations aloud
With an abbreviation, choose from the sound of the first letter as you say it. An MRI scan is correct because M begins with the vowel sound /e/. A URL is correct because U begins with the /j/ sound.
The doctor requested an MRI scan.
Say the first letter: M starts with a vowel sound, so use an.
Which article fits before URL when you say each letter?
Use a URL because the spoken letter U begins with the /j/ sound.
Before you go
Remember this
Use a and an with one singular countable noun. Listen to the word immediately after the article. Choose a before a consonant sound and an before a vowel sound. Silent letters and the /juː/ sound can make spelling a less reliable guide.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "A and an: choose the right indefinite article"
What is the difference between a and an?
A and an have the same basic meaning and both introduce one singular countable noun. The difference is their opening sound: use a before a consonant sound, as in a cyclist, and an before a vowel sound, as in an artist.
A cyclist waited near the crossing.
Why do I say an hour but a hotel?
Choose by pronunciation. In hour, the h is silent, so the word begins with a vowel sound and takes an. In hotel, the h is pronounced, so the word begins with a consonant sound and usually takes a.
An artist waited near the crossing.
Why does university take a instead of an?
University starts with the consonant sound /j/, like the first sound in you. It therefore takes a: a university course. Use an only when the next word begins with a vowel sound, as in an evening course.
He gave an honest answer.
How do adjectives change the choice between a and an?
Choose from the word immediately after the article. Say an old university building because old begins with a vowel sound. Say a useful online course because useful begins with the consonant sound /j/, even though online begins with a vowel letter.
He gave a helpful answer.
How do I choose a or an before an abbreviation?
Say the abbreviation aloud and listen to the first spoken sound. An MRI scan uses an because the letter M begins with a vowel sound. A URL uses a because the spoken letter U begins with the consonant sound /j/.
Maya is taking a university course.