A versus An

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How do you know when to use the indefinite articles?
"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 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 two exceptions: When u makes the same sound as the y in you, or o makes the same sound as w in won, then a is used.

•a union
•a united front
•a unicorn
•a used napkin
•a U.S. ship
•a one-legged man

Exercise