a vowel letter/a vowel sound

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Odessa Dawn

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Aug 10, 2012
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I am confused since I don’t know which reason I should state here. Should I go with a vowel letter or a vowel sound, please?


We use the indefinite article an before words that begin with a vowel letter or a vowel sound, which one should I choose here, please? To me, if I pick up a vowel letter here then I commit a grave mistake since the spelling doesn’t indicate the pronunciation.

EX:

The word hour begins with a consonant letter, but it takes an not a.

The word university starts with a vowel letter, but it takes a not an.

To sum it up, using a vowel letter makes no sense here. If I use it, I contradict myself.
 

MikeNewYork

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Nov 13, 2002
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Academic
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American English
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United States
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I am confused since I don’t know which reason I should state here. Should I go with a vowel letter or a vowel sound, please?


We use the indefinite article an before words that begin with a vowel letter or a vowel sound, which one should I choose here, please? To me, if I pick up a vowel letter here then I commit a grave mistake since the spelling doesn’t indicate the pronunciation.

EX:

The word hour begins with a consonant letter, but it takes an not a.

The word university starts with a vowel letter, but it takes a not an.

To sum it up, using a vowel letter makes no sense here. If I use it, I contradict myself.

You are correct. It is the vowel "sound" that makes the difference.

a university
an hour

But be careful about different pronunciations.

In AmE, an herb (vowel sound); In BrE, a herb (consonant sound).
 
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