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"a" and "an"

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Anonymous, 3 yr 195 days ago
Hi,

An Unique is a correct answer. Because if any vowels comes you should select "an". Otherwise select "a".
Mister Micawber  +  224275 Wed, 10 May 06 03:30 PM

It is not the letter, it is the sound, Anon.  Unique starts with a /ju:/ sound, so takes a.  So also do a unicorn, a unicycle, a uterus, and a utensil.
Mister Micawber
Joined on Wed, Aug 4 2004
Yokohama
Veteran Member 30,754
'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master-- that's all.'
Anonymous, 3 yr 79 days ago

A pleasant to you!  This is my very first time to enter in your website as what our English professor here in our hospital advised me.

I choose - A unique because in my whole life until today, I never met combination of An Unique words.  Although unique starts with a vowel U but still it's awkward to say an unique.  Maybe because of  its usage or the way you will say makes "a unique" the one to be used all the times.

Thank you so much.

SIMM

Mister Micawber  +  262551 Mon, 04 Sep 06 03:16 PM

Hello Simm, and welcome to English Forums.  I hope you will register as a member (it's free!) and join our discussions frequently.

The indefinite article (a, an) is determined by the first sound of the word, not the letter, so we have--

A unique experience ( /ju:nik/ )
An umbrella ( /umrela/
A haircut ( /heirkut/ )
An heir ( /eir/ )

etc.

I hope that helps.
Mister Micawber
, ,
Aperisic  +  262579 Mon, 04 Sep 06 03:54 PM

 Jazz_messenger wrote:
Hi,
Which would be correct usage :

1. A unique

2. An Unique

and why ?

Cheers !

  • an SS soldier (an      es es... )
  • a usable tool ( a      yuz... )
  • an upper place (an      ap...)
  • a + consonant (the first sound in the word) = a + consonant
  • a + vowel (the first sound in the word) = a + n + vowel = an + vowel
Aperisic
Joined on Fri, Jul 21 2006
Full Member 409
,
Anonymous, 3 yr 63 days ago
i think an unique is correct. because of 'u' is an vowel.we know that every vowel word is coming with an.
nona the brit  +  269741 Wed, 20 Sep 06 09:24 AM

No, it is the 'sound' of the first letter that counts, not whether it is an actual vowel. Unique starts with a 'yoo' sound and that is a consonant, therefore it needs 'a' before it.

A unique.

A unicorn.

A unicycle.

An upper-cut

An underground passage

An udder.
nona the brit
Joined on Wed, Sep 22 2004
England
Veteran Member 11,713
The name says it all.
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Teo, 3 yr 63 days ago

We should say a university because university is pronounced as [yuniversity].  Similarly, we should say an hour because hour is pronounced as [our].  Unique is pronounced as [yunique].

Inchoateknowledge, 3 yr 63 days ago
I agree with Nona

unique starts with a consonant sound: junic

a junic
a unique
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