Jun 9, 2025 · The rule that many people vaguely remember is that one uses 'a' if the word that follows it begins with a consonant, and one uses 'an' if the following word begins with a vowel.

Here’s the secret to making the rule work: The rule applies to the sound of the letter beginning the word, not just the letter itself. The way we say the word will determine whether or not we use a …

May 31, 2022 · Both a and an are indefinite articles for singular nouns. When the next word begins with a consonant sound, you use a. You can tell when to use an instead of a if the next …

If the first letter makes a vowel-type sound, you use "an"; if the first letter would make a consonant-type sound, you use "a." However, even if you follow these basic rules when …

As we’ve pointed out, using a or an will depend on the first letter of the next word. We will use a when the first letter of the next word has a consonant sound (including y and w). We will use …

Sep 12, 2023 · There are all sorts of grammar rules out there. One of the most basic is determining when you should use the very first letter of the alphabet, but the rule itself is not …

“A” and “an” are indefinite articles and work to modify the noun they precede. They are important to use to introduce proper grammar structure. But how do you know when to use “a” and when …

Jun 28, 2024 · “A” and “an” are variants of the indefinite article. You use “a” when the word starts with a consonant sound and “an” when it starts with a vowel sound.

Nov 22, 2025 · Learn complete article rules with clear examples. Understand how to use articles a, an, and the correctly in English grammar.

Nov 10, 2025 · The rule is simple: use “a” before words that begin with a consonant sound and “an” before words that begin with a vowel sound. However, the key lies in recognising that it’s …