Purdue University North Central Writing Center Handout

A or An?

          A goes before all words that begin with consonants

                    a cat

                    a dog

                    a purple onion

                    a buffalo

                    a big apple

                             With one exception: use an before an unsounded H:

                                                          an honorable peace

                                                          an honest error

          An goes before all words that begin with vowels: 

                    an apricot

                    an egg

                    an Indian

                    an orbit

                    an uprising

                             With one exception:  When u makes the same                                         sound as the y in you, then a is used:                 

                                                          a union

                                                          a united front

                                                          a unicorn

                                                          a used napkin

                                                          a U.S. ship

                             This is a useful sheet to keep until

                             There is an opportunity to use it.

WCdsk\aoran.doc