Eduqo
English Grammar›Ch 6: Articles & Determiners›Articles: A and An
Mastering the Sound-Based Rules for Competitive Exams
Use 'An' before words starting with a vowel sound and 'A' before words starting with a consonant sound. The first sound of the word matters, not the first letter spelling.
Quick Memory Hooks
| Word | First Sound | Article |
|---|---|---|
| Hour | Vowel (Auu) | An |
| University | Consonant (Yoo) | A |
| M.B.A. | Vowel (Em) | An |
| One-rupee | Consonant (Wa) | A |
Hour
(Silent 'H')
Silent 'H'
Wait for an hour.
Union
('Yu' sound)
'Yu' sound
It is a union.
S.P.
('Es' sound)
'Es' sound
He is an S.P.
Year
(Starts with 'Y')
Starts with 'Y'
Once a year.
an university / an uniquea university / a unique
Both start with a consonant 'Y' sound, so use 'A'.
a honest man / a heiran honest man / an heir
'H' is silent; they start with vowel sounds.
an one-eyed mana one-eyed man
'One' starts with the 'W' (v) sound, which is a consonant.
Q1.Choose the correct article: 'He is ___ European tourist.'
Q2.Fill in the blank: 'My father is ___ M.L.A.'