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Henry74 Posted 13 years ago
Grammar
A/an handwritten
Hello,
Could you please tell me if it is a handwritten letter or an handwritten letter?
I think that, technically, it should be a handwritten. This seems to be supported by the way larger number of google hits.
But then why does an handwritten also sound like something that I might say? Is it because I tend to drop the 'h' in speaking? Is this something that I should avoid doing?
Thank you
H.
Could you please tell me if it is a handwritten letter or an handwritten letter?
I think that, technically, it should be a handwritten. This seems to be supported by the way larger number of google hits.
But then why does an handwritten also sound like something that I might say? Is it because I tend to drop the 'h' in speaking? Is this something that I should avoid doing?
Thank you
H.
Top answer
" "Handwriting" is not one of those words. "
- " "Handwriting" is not one of those words.
- "
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16 Answers
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Some words that start with H have a vowel sound, like "hour."
"Handwriting" is not one of those words. Use "a."
"Handwriting" is not one of those words. Use "a."
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A few people (including me sometimes 
) use an in front of some words like historical. Ap
) use an in front of some words like historical. Ap00
The way I understand it, the reason "an" is used with "historical" and the like is not because they were once pronounced with a silent "h". That would be words from French like "hotel"; "an hotel" is a(n?) horrendous affectation. It's the unaccented first syllable that does it in words like hysterical and historical and hermaphrodite. When the accent shifts, the "n" goes away (She has a his
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enoonIt's the unaccented first syllable that does it in words like hysterical and historical and hermaphrodite. When the accent shifts, the "n" goes away (She has a history as an historical reenacter.)That makes a lot of sense.
COCA has thousands of hits for an historical. But it has just as many for a historical.
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That would be an unfair question to give an ESLer, or a native speaker, for that matter. There is no accepted standard set of rules for anything to do with English, and this is about pronunciation, where all bets are off. My advice for writing is to always use "a" before words beginning with an "h" that is pronounced in the standard English you are using at the time. Use "an" before a silent "h" u
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Here is what H.W. Fowler had to say back in 1926 in A Dictionary of Modern English Usage:
"A is used before all consonants except silent h (a history, an hour); an was formerly usual before an unaccented syllable beginning with h (an historical work), but now that the h in such words is pronounced the distinction has become pedantic, &
"A is used before all consonants except silent h (a history, an hour); an was formerly usual before an unaccented syllable beginning with h (an historical work), but now that the h in such words is pronounced the distinction has become pedantic, &
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Blue JayHere is what H.W. Fowler had to say ...Right. I think I was talking about some other thing to do with "hotel". I agree with him in writing, but it is the pinnacle of pedantry on his part to presume to dictate to me my own speech. Suffice it to say for the ESLers that the matter is far from settled even now, but my advice stands.
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I think hotel was probably an 'otel in days gone by.
Despite sometimes ignoring Fowler's opinion on the subject myself (an horrendous, anyone?) I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to others. A if the h is sounded, an if it isn't.
Despite sometimes ignoring Fowler's opinion on the subject myself (an horrendous, anyone?) I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to others. A if the h is sounded, an if it isn't.
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