Practice
A or an: how to choose the right article
She needs an umbrella for the walk and a jacket for the evening. The choice depends on the sound at the start of umbrella and jacket, not on how long either word is.
Choose a or an by listening for the first sound of the next word, including words with a silent h and common abbreviations.
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
a university / an hour /ə juːnɪˈvɜrsəti/ / ən aʊr/
The short answer
Choose a before a consonant sound and an before a vowel sound. Say the next word quietly to yourself before you decide. Use an for an apple and an hour, but use a for a book and a university.
We waited for an hour outside the office.
Why it works: Hour begins with a vowel sound because the h is silent.
5 more examples
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I need a reliable map for the trip.
Reliable begins with the consonant sound r, so a is the right article.
Not this:I need
an updated mapfor the trip. What changes: Updated begins with a vowel sound, so the article changes to an. -
She gave an honest answer.
The h in honest is silent, so the first spoken sound is a vowel sound.
Not this:She gave
a helpful answer. What changes: Helpful begins with a pronounced h sound, so use a. -
He is a university student.
University begins with a y sound, which is a consonant sound.
Not this:He is
an undergraduate student. What changes: Undergraduate begins with a vowel sound, so use an. -
We took a one-way street by mistake.
One starts with a w sound when spoken, even though its first letter is o.
Not this:We made
an online reservation. What changes: Online begins with a vowel sound, so use an. -
My cousin is an MBA student.
When M is said aloud, it begins with the vowel sound e, so an is correct.
Not this:My cousin sent
a PDF file. What changes: When P is said aloud, it begins with a p sound, so use a.
Read the full guide
Listen to the beginning of the next word. If you hear a vowel sound such as the first sound in apple, use an. If you hear a consonant sound such as the first sound in book or university, use a. Spelling can help, but it does not settle every case.
Listen to the next sound
Do not begin with the first letter. Begin with the first sound you hear. A is for consonant sounds. An is for vowel sounds. This is a pronunciation rule.
I ordered an apple and a sandwich.
Apple begins with a vowel sound. Sandwich begins with a consonant sound.
Choose the article: I saw ___ owl in the garden.
Use an: I saw an owl in the garden. Owl begins with a vowel sound.
Words with h
Many h words have a clear h sound, so they use a. A few common words have a silent h, so they use an. Say the word before you choose.
They stayed at a hotel for an hour.
Hotel begins with a pronounced h sound. Hour begins with a vowel sound.
Choose the article: She is ___ honest person.
Use an: She is an honest person. The h in honest is silent.
Words that start with u or o
A written vowel can begin with a consonant sound. University and useful start with the y sound /j/. One starts with the w sound /w/. Use a before these sounds.
We found a useful tool for the job.
Useful begins with the y sound, so it follows the consonant-sound rule.
Choose the article: He bought ___ one-year membership.
Use a: He bought a one-year membership. One begins with a w sound.
Abbreviations and initials
Read an abbreviation as you say it in normal speech. The written first letter does not decide the article. The sound of the spoken first letter decides it.
An FBI agent spoke to the group.
F is said ef, which begins with a vowel sound.
Choose the article: We received ___ URL in the message.
Use a: We received a URL in the message. URL is usually said with an opening y sound.
Check the meaning too
A and an introduce one non-specific person or thing. Do not use either article before a plural noun or an uncountable noun when you mean things in general. The sound rule matters after you know that an indefinite article belongs in the sentence.
I need a pen, but I do not need pens today.
A pen means one pen. Pens is plural, so it has no a or an.
Choose the article if one is needed: We need ___ information before we decide.
Use no article: We need information before we decide. Information is uncountable here.
Before you go
Remember this
A and an mean the same kind of thing. Choose a before a consonant sound and an before a vowel sound. When a word looks unusual, say it aloud. That check solves an hour, a university, a one-way street, and an MBA.
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 or an: how to choose the right article"
Why do we say an hour but a hotel?
Use an hour because the h in hour is silent, so the word begins with a vowel sound. Use a hotel because hotel begins with a pronounced h sound. Choose by the sound you hear at the start of the next word.
I need a reliable map for the trip.
Why is it a university instead of an university?
University begins with the y sound /j/, as in you. That is a consonant sound, so a university is the usual form. The letter u does not automatically require an.
I need an updated map for the trip.
Should I use a or an before an abbreviation?
Say the abbreviation aloud first. Use an before a spoken vowel sound, as in an MBA or an FBI agent. Use a before a spoken consonant sound, as in a URL or a PDF.
She gave an honest answer.
Do a and an change the meaning?
They have the same basic job: they introduce one non-specific countable person or thing. The article changes so that the words are easier to say together. The next sound decides whether you use a or an.
She gave a helpful answer.
Can I use a or an with plural and uncountable nouns?
No. A and an are used with singular countable nouns. Use no indefinite article with plural nouns in general statements, such as I need tickets, and with uncountable nouns such as information or water when you mean them generally.
He is a university student.