Practice
When not to use an before a vowel letter
A university begins with the letter u, but we say a university. An hour begins with the letter h, but we say an hour. The spelling matters less than the sound you say first.
Choose a or an from the first sound of the next word, including words that begin with a vowel letter but start with a consonant sound.
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 ˌjuːnɪˈvɜːrsəti/ /ən ˈaʊər/
The short answer
Listen to the first sound of the next word. Use a before a consonant sound, even when the word begins with a vowel letter. Use an before a vowel sound, even when the word begins with a consonant letter.
She is a university student and an honest person.
Why it works: University starts with the consonant sound /j/, like yes. In honest, the h is silent, so the first sound is the vowel /o/.
5 more examples
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My brother bought a used car.
Used begins with the /j/ sound, the same first sound as yes. Use a before that consonant sound.
Not this:He also bought
an umbrella. What changes: Umbrella begins with a vowel sound, so an is the natural article. -
We met a European researcher at the conference.
European begins with /j/, not with a vowel sound. The spelling begins with e, but the spoken word begins like you.
Not this:We met
an Italian researcherat the conference. What changes: Italian begins with the vowel sound /i/, so it takes an. -
It took an hour to finish the report.
The h in hour is silent in standard pronunciation. The spoken word begins with /aʊ/.
Not this:It took
a half hourto finish the report. What changes: Half begins with an audible /h/ consonant sound, so it takes a. -
She has an MBA in finance.
Say the abbreviation by its first letter: /em/. That begins with a vowel sound.
Not this:She works for
a local bank. What changes: Local begins with the consonant sound /l/, so it takes a. -
He made a one-page summary.
One begins with the consonant sound /w/, even though the first letter is o.
Not this:He wrote
an eight-page report. What changes: Eight begins with a vowel sound, so an is correct.
Read the full guide
Say the word aloud before you choose the article. If its first sound could begin a word like yes, use a. If its first sound is a vowel sound such as /a/, /e/, /i/, /o/, or /u/, use an. A dictionary pronunciation can help when you are unsure.
Hear the first sound
The choice comes from the sound that begins the next word. Do not decide from the first letter alone. Say the word once, then notice whether your mouth starts with a vowel sound or a consonant sound.
She is an engineer.
Engineer begins with the vowel sound /e/, so an fits.
Choose the article: ___ apple is on the table.
Use an: An apple is on the table.
Vowel letters with consonant sounds
Several words that begin with u or eu start with the /j/ sound, like yes. Use a before that sound. Words beginning with one and once usually start with /w/, so they also take a.
They need a uniform for the new job.
Uniform begins with /j/. It sounds like you-niform, not oo-niform.
Choose the article: We need ___ user name to sign in.
Use a: We need a user name to sign in.
Silent letters can create vowel sounds
A written h does not always make an /h/ sound. When the h is silent, the next sound controls the article. Common examples include hour, honest, and heir.
It was an honest answer.
Honest begins with a vowel sound because speakers do not pronounce the h.
Choose the article: They waited for ___ hour.
Use an: They waited for an hour.
Use the spoken form of abbreviations
Read an abbreviation aloud before you choose an article. A letter can begin with a vowel sound when its name begins with a vowel. For example, M is pronounced /em/ and F is pronounced /ef/.
An FBI agent spoke to the class.
F is pronounced /ef/, so the abbreviation begins with a vowel sound.
Choose the article: She is ___ HR manager.
Use an: She is an HR manager, because H is pronounced /eɪtʃ/.
Check the pronunciation you mean
A dictionary can settle an unfamiliar word. Listen for the first sound in the pronunciation, then choose the article. Do not try to memorize every exception as a spelling list.
He gave a useful answer.
Useful starts with /j/, so it follows the same pattern as university.
Choose the article: I watched ___ X-ray of my hand.
Use an: I watched an X-ray of my hand. X is pronounced /eks/.
Before you go
Remember this
Choose by the first sound, not the first letter. Use a before consonant sounds such as /j/ in university and /w/ in one. Use an before vowel sounds, including silent-h words such as hour and letter names such as M in 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 "When not to use an before a vowel letter"
Why do we say a university instead of an university?
University begins with the consonant sound /j/, as in yes. The article follows that first sound, so a university is the standard form.
My brother bought a used car.
Why does hour take an?
In the usual pronunciation of hour, the h is silent. The spoken word begins with a vowel sound, so an hour is correct.
He also bought an umbrella.
Do abbreviations always take an?
No. Say the abbreviation aloud. Use an when the first spoken letter begins with a vowel sound, as in an FBI agent. Use a when it begins with a consonant sound, as in a NATO meeting when NATO is pronounced as a word.
We met a European researcher at the conference.
Should I choose from the letter or the pronunciation?
Choose from the pronunciation. A vowel letter can begin with a consonant sound, and a consonant letter can be silent or have a name that begins with a vowel sound.
We met an Italian researcher at the conference.
Can a and an change with different accents?
They can when speakers use different pronunciations of the same word. Use the article that matches the first sound in the pronunciation you are using in that sentence.
It took an hour to finish the report.