What's your first language?

Use "a" when the next word starts with a consonant and "an" if it starts with a vowel.

Alej said:

Swedish.

An is used b4 vowelz-a,e,i,o,u (an apple,an egg,an icecream cone,an ocean,an umbrella)
All the other timez,use A
Got it? Good!

sexxydancer said:

Alej said:

englizh

Use "a" when the next word starts with a consonant and "an" if it starts with a vowel.

Use "a" when the next word starts with a consonant and "an" if it starts with a vowel.

JustErin said:

That's mostly true, but it's more accurate to say use "an" before words starting with a vowel sound, not necessarily before a vowel (e.g., "an hour" and "a unique opportunity").

Efan said:

An Erin.

But to be more concise; A Drunk Erin.

coldblooded...

My first language isnt english, so it sometimes gets embarrising when i misspell here on the org.
Im still have somethings to learn, i dont know when to use a or an.
How do i do?

Ask Ocean

mdiver said:

Then do the opposite ...

some people use "an" in front of words that begin with an "h" sound, e.g., "an historic."


i want to slap the piss out of those people. so don't do that.

errant said:

I do that.

It just sounds better.

errant said:

I do that.

It just sounds better.

errant said:

I do that.

It just sounds better.

errant said:

I do that.

It just sounds better.

JustErin said:

That's mostly true, but it's more accurate to say use "an" before words starting with a vowel sound, not necessarily before a vowel

CarrieMpls said:

The rule of thumb is that you should use "an" if the h-word has the accent on the second syllable. "An historic" does sound better (particularly if you pronounce "a" as a schwa), but "an hippopotamus" does not. Of course, there are exceptions.

AlexdeParis said:

I've never heard that before, and I don't think it bears up ("a hysterically funny person," "a hermaphrodite," "a hereditary condition," just to name a few). It really just matters if the "h" is pronounced or not. If you pronounce the "h" in "historic," you shouldn't use "an."

One tricky case comes up from time to time: is it "a historic occasion" or "an historic occasion"? Some speakers favor the latter — more British than American speakers, but you'll find them in both places — using an on longish words (three or more syllables) beginning with h, where the first syllable isn't accented. They'd say, for instance, "a hístory textbook" (accent on the first syllable) but "an históric event." (Likewise "a hábit" but "an habítual offender," "a hýpothetical question" but "an hypóthesis.") Still, most guides prefer a before any h that's sounded: "a historic occasion," "a hysterical joke," "a habitual offender" — but "an honor" and "an hour" because those h's aren't sounded. [Entry revised 21 April 2006; revised again 10 December 2006.]

Well, it pleases me to teach you something you'd never heard.


From: http://andromeda.rutgers....ing/a.html

Obviously, there isn't total agreement on the matter.