We use “an” before words that start with a vowel sound and “a” before words that start with a consonant sound: an apple, a banana. It’s the sound that matters, not the letter — so it’s an hour but a unicorn.
What your child will learn
- Use “an” before words starting with a vowel sound
- Use “a” before words starting with a consonant sound
- Handle tricky words like hour, unicorn and uniform
Listen to the first sound
“An” makes words easier to say: “an egg” flows better than “a egg”. Words like hour start with a silent h, so they begin with a vowel sound and take “an”. Words like unicorn start with a “you” sound, so they take “a”.
Example questions
Here are a few questions like the ones in the first quest. Can you solve them?
1. Which word goes before “apple”?
- an
- a
Show answer
Answer: an. Apple starts with a vowel sound, so we say an apple.
2. Which word goes before “dog”?
- an
- a
Show answer
Answer: a. Dog starts with a consonant sound, so we say a dog.
3. Which word goes before “orange”?
- a
- an
Show answer
Answer: an. Orange starts with a vowel sound: an orange.
Tips for grown-ups
- Say both versions aloud — the right one usually sounds smoother.
- Play “I went to the zoo and saw a… / an…” taking turns.