0
Guest Posted 23 years ago
Grammar

Usage of articles in English grammar

I would like to know the exceptions to the rule for the usage of the article "an."

Also please tell me why is it wrong to say "He is an European."


Thanks
Padmini
  

Top answer

We've had this question a few times, here are the links: Articles? , "a" and "an" , When to use 'the, an, a' Words that are articles It's 'A European' because 'European' starts with a vowel.

— Hitchhiker

  • We've had this question a few times, here are the links: Articles?
  • , "a" and "an" , When to use 'the, an, a' Words that are articles It's 'A European' because 'European' starts with a vowel.
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

3 Answers
0
We've had this question a few times, here are the links: Articles?, "a" and "an",
0
0
For the usage of "a" or "an", what really matters is the first SOUND of the following noun.

We say: a car, a pen, a man. The sounds following "a" are consonant sounds.

So: an elephant, an animal, an umbrella. In this case, the initial sounds after "an" are vowel sounds. We say an umbrella, but a university (/j/ sound), a house, but an hourglass (/a/ sound). So we have to s
0

Related Questions