the a and an rule

[The Rut]

if we say A hat (no vowel starting the word) and A car (same again). And we say AN apple (vowel starting word) and AN egg (same again), why do we say such and such miles AN hour?? should we say miles a hour???

[kempie]

It is how the word is pronounced and not how it is spelled that determines which indefinite article is appropriate...

http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexperts/faq/abo utgrammar/hotel?view=uk

[jno]

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Phrases_and_Say ings/Question241735.html

[bernardo]

For example

a university ("yooniversity")
an honour ("onner")
there is an h ("aitch") before an o and an o before the n ("en")

[Loosehead]

The only rule about the rules is that there is always an exception to the rules except when there isn't! Essentially the Language is full of so called Rules that all have exceptions. The "rules" are meant as guidance rather than an actual hard and fast rule.

[unnatural1]

ha ha bernardo you screwed up you said an h.
anyway. back to the question it is because the word sounds like it begins with a vowel. the h is silent and the next letter is a vowel so it sounds like a vowel.

[A Chill Wind]

As in "an aitch".

[jno]

bernardo's response seems fine to me, unnatural - perhaps you're one of the people who pronounces H as haitch? Many do; but more say aitch.

[moppettshow]

The 'n' is known linguistically as a 'lubricative consonant', as it helps the speaker to articulate. 'A egg' would involve the speaker having to make a quick glottal stop between the first two sounds, in order to articulate the two vowels in such quick succession . The 'n' makes the need for a glottal stop redundant, and the sounds become more fluid. Try saying 'a egg' over and over again, as fast as you can; then 'an egg'. Which is easier, and which can you say faster? You should be able to feel the glottal stop in your throat after saying 'a egg' a few times.

[bernardo]

ha ha ha ha ha unnatural1 I did not screw up.
ha ha ha ha ha you screwed up because you said that I had screwed up when I didn't screw up. ha ha ha ha ha

[JanineG]

Actually, I thought that you were supposed to use "an" when the following word starts with a vowel, and "a" otherwise. I seem to remember something about "H" having supposed to have been a vowel, so that it would be correct to say "An Hotel" - its just that we have all dropped "H" as a vowel along the years. I'd be grateful if someone could clarify that for me though.