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Monseul Posted 20 years ago
Grammar

Is it a or an herb?

0Okay, so I know with 01i00university02i00 it would be 01i01b00'a 02b00university01b00'02b02i00 because of the01i01b00 you02b02i00 sound, but I'm confused with 01i00'herb'02i00. Particularly since Americans don't pronounce the 01i00'h'02i00 and the British do. Does that change the grammar rule of 01i00'a'02i00 only coming before vowels. If anybody has a list of other exceptions to the rule, this would be a good place to post them.02br
02br
00Thanks in advance for your help.0-
  

Top answer

02font 02br 02br 00Basically, if you pronounce the 'h', say 'a'. If you don't, say 'an'. 02br 02br 00When you speak of 01i 00the grammar rule of 'a' only coming before vowels,02i 00 I hope you are not saying we should speak of 'an table'?

— Clive

  • 02font 02br 02br 00Basically, if you pronounce the 'h', say 'a'.
  • If you don't, say 'an'.
  • 02br 02br 00When you speak of 01i 00the grammar rule of 'a' only coming before vowels,02i 00 I hope you are not saying we should speak of 'an table'?
  • ha-ha.
  • 02br 02br 00Best wishes, Clive0-
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4 Answers
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0Hi,02br
02br
00This topic was recently discussed in the the thread entitled02br
02br
01font00Indefinite Article With Hispanic?02font02br
02br
00Basically, if you pronounce the 'h', say 'a'. If you don't, say 'an'. I say 'a herb'.02br
02br
00When you speak of 01i00the g
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0 01blockquote
01cite10Clive12cite10When you speak of 11i10the grammar rule of 'a' only coming before vowels,12i10 I hope you are not saying we should speak of 'an table'? ha-ha. 12br
12br
12blockquote
10Doh! It's early in the morning where I'm at....hehehe. That would be my lack of sleep catc
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0 British: a herb (Pronounce the "h".)02br
00 American: an herb (Do not pronounce the "h".)02br
02br
00 CJ0-
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For American English because the "h" in herb is not pronounced it would be "an herb" because the "e" is a vowel and that is the first sound. Whereas in British English the "h" is pronounced so it would be "a herb". Quite simply it depends on the sound of the word and not the letter its self.
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