I'm dutch and my english is just on conversation level acceptable. Now I have to write a letter and I'm having serious doubts about using "a" or "an" here. As the word "unique" opens with a vowel, it should have "an" with it, but as in the pronounciation sounds a "y" first, it sounds weird to say "an unique... whatever", so it doesn't feel right to write it either. Is this an exeption and is there a difference between writing and pronouncing, or am I completely wrong and is only "an unique" really correct? Thank you very much for your help!
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Your thinking is correct. I would use "a unique" as well.
You can learn more by reading [url="http://webster.commnet.edu/grammar/determiners/determiners.htm#articles"]"The Articles" at this link[/url].
Hope this helps.
MountainHiker
http://www.edufind.com/english/grammar/Determiners3.cfm
In any event, you could never be criticized for saying "a unique," and people would think "an unique" looks odd in writing, as I did.
The word unique is pronounced 'yoo nique' and due to that sound its like the word begins with a y. As a result we write "a unique" instead of "an unique". Some other examples include; a university, an umbrella, a usual day, an unusual day.
(answer taken from this source: http://wordwhirled.blogspot.com/2005/12/unique-or-unique.html )
An unique = British