A vs. An

Use the indefinite article a / an before singular count nouns. Use abefore consonant sounds, and use an before vowel sounds.

• an apple
• a bear
• an ostrich
• a camel
• an awful sound
• a rotten egg
• an ugly cat
• a small elephant
• an elephant

Words That Start with H or U

Be careful of words that start with h or u. Some words that begin with these two letters start with a vowel sound and some start with a consonant sound.

• umbrella
• university
• helicopter
• hour

For words that start with h, we use a when the h is pronounced, and we use an when the h is silent.

• a helicopter
• an honest politician
• an hour
• a hopeful dreamer

For words that begin with u, we use a when the u is pronounced as a consonant, and an when the u is pronounced as a vowel.

• an umbrella
• a unicorn
• a university
• an unusual gift

Test your knowledge

Directions: Choose the correct answer to fill in each blank. (10 problems)