A vs an: choosing the indefinite article
He described it as an utopia.
He described it as a utopia.
A or an depends on the sound, not the letter
A and an introduce one countable thing that is new to the listener. The choice between them follows the first sound of the next word.
- a
- Before a consonant sound, including the “you” and “w” sounds. a book · a university · a utopia · a one-way ticket
- an
- Before a vowel sound, including a silent h. an apple · an hour · an honest man · an MBA
- One of many
- A first mention, a job, one of a kind. I saw a film yesterday. · She is a doctor.
Part of the guide
What YabLab does with this mistake
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