Ok so you know how you have to use 'AN' in front of a vowel like for instance - an egg. How come you dont say an Unique?
2007-02-22 23:05:54 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
Either you are using unique as a proper noun, or like so many other things in the English language, it simply is an exception.
There are many exceptions in the English language, and it makes it tough to learn.
2007-02-22 23:09:42 · answer #1 · answered by Scott and Friends 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Because it depends on the sound of the word, not the specific letter that begins the word. If unique were spelled out phonetically, it would probably begin with "yoo", which has the y sound instead of the u. It's the same reason you would say "an hour", even though the word begins with an h (not a vowel), the first sound is a vowel sound.
Try not to overthink it! You'll make yourself crazy finding all the weird rules and exceptions to those rules in the English language!
2007-02-23 07:15:04 · answer #2 · answered by kara_wing 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You have an when the word has the first syllable sounding like a vowel. So unique sounds like yunique, which has the first syllable soundling like a y which is a consonant. Hence "a unique proposition"
2007-02-23 07:25:57 · answer #3 · answered by Niv 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Use "an" in front of vowel sounds
2007-02-26 23:05:36 · answer #4 · answered by omnisource 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is Grammatically incorrect and the phonetic sound speaks for itself.It is a UNIQUE situation. We are booking a holiday this year.
2007-02-23 07:26:18 · answer #5 · answered by Lindsay Jane 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That is an exception to the rule because of the sound of the vowel.
Two more exceptions to the rule are an historical event and a European.
2007-02-23 07:16:29 · answer #6 · answered by Max 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
because it sounds like "you"nique and y isnt a vowel
2007-02-23 07:22:08 · answer #7 · answered by bananasplit778 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋