Haven’t you often wondered why it is, a unicorn but an umbrella, a horrifying sight but an honourable man, a one-track mind but an out-of-the-box idea?
We know that we use ‘a’ before words that start with consonant sounds.
Eg: a parrot, a doll, a green apple, a camel
But there is one exception to this rule. We use an before a silent ‘h’
Eg: an honest attempt, an honourable gentleman
We use ‘an’ for all words that begin with a vowel sound.
Eg: an elephant, an elbow, an Indian
But there are exceptions to this rule.
When the word begins with a ‘u’ and the ‘u’ makes the same sound as ‘y’ in ‘you’, then ‘a’ is used.
Eg: a united team, a university, a unicorn, a used towel, a US war plane
When the word begins with ‘o’ but makes a ‘w’ sound as in ‘won’, then ‘a’ is used.
Eg: a one- sided competition, a once in a life-time opportunity
When the word begins with ‘eu’ that makes the sound ‘y’ or when the word begins with ‘e’ that making the same sound as ‘y’, a is used.
Eg: a European truck, a ewe
