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The Mayfield Handbook of Technical & Scientific Writing
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Section 11.8.2.1

Choosing between a and an

Use a before consonant sounds and an before vowel sounds. Notice that some words whose first letter is a consonant (for instance, hour) actually begin with a vowel sound, and other words whose first letter is a vowel (for instance, unit) actually begin with a consonant sound.


Unacceptable

a electron, a oxidant, a hour

Acceptable

an electron, an oxidant, an hour

Unacceptable

an chromatograph, an human gene, an unique solution

Acceptable

a chromatograph, a human gene, a unique solution


Make your decision between a and an according to the first sound of the word that immediately follows a or an, regardless of the word's function.


Unacceptable

a electric circuit, an very powerful explosive

Acceptable

an electric circuit, a very powerful explosive


Reference Link Text
## A or an? ##
Reference Link Text

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