question on vowels... u can use "a" when the first letter of the next word is a consonant...?

Question

how about " a unicorn"? can anybody explain me on this???

Answer 1

You use "a" before consonants & "an" before vowels.

A unicorn is OK because you say "yoo-nicorn", right? That's a consonant sound. Just like "an honest man", because you say "an ah-nest man". It goes by the sound, not just the spelling.

Answer 2

You can say " a unicorn" because the "u" sounds like a Y, as in the pronunciation "you-neh-korn". The rule usually goes, use "an" in front of following words beginning with a vowel ("an eye for an eye"), "a" in front of following words starting with consonants ("a dog", "a cat") unless the next word SOUNDS like a the consonant Y ("a unicorn", "a universe").

Answer 3

hmmm...I've never thought of that but you have a good question. I would say "a" unicorn is appropriate because "an" unicorn wouldn't make sense. I was trying to think of other words where this would apply - unicycle; I think this would be the same thing. I'm thinking that there must be a special rule about words that start with uni-

Answer 4

When dealing with a and an you are dealing with sounds more than letters. Unicorn may start with the letter u, but it starts with the y sound. The same goes for "an honor." The word starts with the letter h, but with or ah sound. Hope this helps. 789

Answer 5

Yes they're correct above, which indefinite article is used is determined by the sound of the word and not the spelling.

Which highlights another interesting point - it is still correct English to say and write "an hotel" and, presumably, "an helicopter".

The reason for this anomonly, as far as I can tell, is that in French, which is the basis for many words in English the letter 'h' is silent and that tradition was passed on until recently in spoken English.

Therefore one would say "There is an 'otel".
Joe

Answer 6

There are exceptions to every rule. This one is due to the phonetic spelling of unicorn (yoo-ni-korn) beginning with a consonant.

Answer 7

The a/an rule depends on the sound, not the letter. Unicorn begins with "y" sound, though it's spelled "u". Also, uniform, union, etc. etc.

Answer 8

Even though the first letter is a "u", it makes a "Yoo" sound and therefore you use "a" instead of "an".


That is the exception.

(If the vowel sound doesn't sound like a vowel sound, I mean. :) )

Answer 9

Joe, I'm not understanding what you are saying. With hotel and helicopter you would use a....the h in both is not silent like in honest and hour. You would never use an before hotel or helicopter. It would not be proper english.

Answer 10

I think it's because it makes almost a sound as in 'you', rather than the soft 'u' as in 'umbrella' - 'an umbrella', 'an uncle'.

Similarly - a union
a university
a uniform