Articles: A and An

Use a before consonant sounds and an before vowel sounds.

Examples

• a dog, an apple
• an hour, a university

Key rules

• Use a or an with singular countable nouns mentioned for the first time
• Use a before consonant sounds: a car, a university
• Use an before vowel sounds: an apple, an hour
• The sound matters, not the spelling

Common mistakes

• I have a umbrella → I have an umbrella
• She is an university student → She is a university student