Grammar · Free lesson
A university, an hour: listen to the first sound
You are describing a university tour. Two little articles need different choices, even though university starts with u and hour starts with h.
Professor Scott MendozaThe short answer
Use a before a consonant sound and an before a vowel sound. University starts like you, so say a university. The h in hour is silent, so say an hour. Check the word directly after the article.
Listen to the next word; do not just read its first letter.
A and an do the same job. Their form changes to fit the next sound. An adjective can change that sound: a story becomes an interesting story. The noun is still story, but interesting now comes directly after the article.
Same rule, three starting sounds
We visited a university near the river.
The tour lasted an hour.
Our guide told us an interesting story.
A university becomes an old university because old is now the next word. Do not skip over the adjective to choose the article.
Check what follows the article
Hear the first sound
university → you
Choose a
a university
Add an adjective and check again
an old university
Try it now
Choose the article that fits the sound.
Read all answers and explanations
Complete We visited ___ near the river. Choose the correct article + university.
a universityUniversity begins with the consonant sound at the start of you. Use a university, with one article.
Complete The tour lasted ___. Choose the correct article + hour.
an hourThe h in hour is silent. Its first sound is a vowel, so use an hour, with one article.
Complete Our guide told us ___. Keep interesting before story.
an interesting storyInteresting begins with a vowel sound and comes directly after the article. Use an interesting story.
Put it into practice
Repair both articles in the tour message.
Keep both facts and correct a/an in both sentences. Each wrong option fixes only one problem.
We visited an university. The tour lasted a hour.
See a model answer
We visited a university. The tour lasted an hour.
Spelling pointed you in the wrong direction twice. The first spoken sound gives the correct article in both sentences.
A little more clarity
Common questions
A few useful details before you move on.
Can the same noun use both a and an?
Yes, when the word immediately after the article changes. An adjective can change a to an without changing the noun.
a story → an interesting story
Does every word beginning with h take an?
No. When you pronounce the h in hotel, use a hotel. The h in hour is silent, so use an hour.
a hotel; an hour
Take it into your day
The next sound decides: a university, an hour, an interesting story.
Your next step · Available on Udemy
Make small grammar choices more confidently.
This lesson focuses on one article decision. The English Grammar and English Speaking course includes A, An, The through Learn it, Review it, Use it and Practice it, alongside the wider grammar you need to build sentences.
Explore the course English Master Course: English Grammar and English Speaking