i'm really confused?

Question

ok, so every1 knows that if a word begins with a consonant, u use the "a" (ex. "a door") and if a vowel, u use "an" (ex. "an apple") but i noticed (when i wrote a short story) these phrases:

1. he gave me "A Once-over" (it's a vowel and they use "a")
2. "An Honest opinion" (it's a consonant and they use "an" before it; while in other adjectives, like "a sarcastic opinion" u use "a" again)

how come? some1 explain?

Answer 1

If the sound is similar to a consonant (once is pronounced with the sound of a 'w'), then it starts with 'a'. That's to make a clear distinction between the indefinite article (a or an) and the noun when pronunciating.

The word 'honest' begins with a consonant that sounds like a vowel. If you say "a honest opinion", your words blend together and pronunciation becomes more difficult. It sounds like stuttering.

Answer 2

Use an if the consonant is silent:

Example: An hour and an honor, but a house and a hill

If the H is silent, it's a "an" if it's not an H, and the word begins with a vowel, start with A, if it begins with a consonant that isn't silent use A, otherwise, use An.

Answer 3

"a" is used for consonants or words that sound like consonants. a door, a house, a once-over (wunce--w is a consonant).

"an" is used for vowels or words that sound like vowels. an apple, an honest, an owl.

simplest explanation since everybody's answers seem a little confusing too :)

Answer 4

The choice of article is actually based upon the phonetic (sound) quality of the first letter in a word, not on the orthographic (written) representation of the letter. If the first letter makes a vowel-type sound, you use "an"; if the first letter would makes a consonant-type sound, you use "a."

the phonetic sound of "once" sounds like "wants"...
and you would use "a" before other "W" words
(a witch, a wardrobe, a once over") You use "a" because it is PRONOUNCED like a "w" word.

Answer 5

it actually depends on how the next word after "a/an" is pronounced. you see, if for example you say honest. it doesn't really sound like the consonant "h" and so, you use "a". if it's once. it also doesn't sound like the vowel "o". more or less, its like "w" prounounced as "wans" - "once". so it just depends on how you prounounce the next word after "a/an"

Answer 6

it has more to do with the sound than the letter... example once sounds like wunce and honest sounds like onest. get it

Answer 7

I'm no expert, all I can say is it doesn't make sence to me either. Good Luck figurring this out.