How to use "a" and "an"
In general, a is used before
words that begin with consonants. For example: “He wrote a good report.” And, an is used before words
that begin with vowels (a, e, i, o, or u). For example, “He wrote an exceptional report.”
This rule does not always apply because the use of a or an
depends on the sound of the word – not just the first letter of the word – that it precedes. The 15th
edition of The Chicago Manual of Style” states the following:
“A
comes before words with a consonant sound, including /y/, /h/, and /w/, no matter how the word is spelled {a eulogy} {a hotel
suite} {a Ouachita [ˈwä-shə-ˌtȯ]
tribe member}. An comes before words with a vowel sound {an LSAT exam room} {an X-Files episode}
{an hour ago}.”
Other examples include {an HTML
file}, {a utopian paradise}, {an honorary title}, {a one-track mind}, {an MBA degree}, and {a
united front}.
