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A or an?

 

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  #1  
Old February 21, 2011, 01:21 AM
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A or an?

A utterance or an utterance?

Thanks.
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  #2  
Old February 21, 2011, 03:30 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by irmamar View Post
A utterance or an utterance?

Thanks.
Depends how you pronounce the 'u'

If correctly, always 'an'

By the way. Notice the double consonant 'tt' - this means the 'u' is short, as in (can't think of a word) ah yes - country.

Note the word uterus - only one 't' thus pronounced yooterus, so it would be 'a uterus'

Last edited by Perikles; February 21, 2011 at 03:33 AM.
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Old February 21, 2011, 06:06 AM
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The general rule is: use an
in front of words that start with a vowel.
The exception to the rule is when a vowel is pronounced like a consonant
as in the word Perikles wrote uterus.
Some English speakers seem unaware of the word an, and they sound babyish when they say things a apple, a idea .

It should be notes that there are not many words where the vowel is pronounces like a consonant.
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Last edited by poli; February 21, 2011 at 06:08 AM.
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  #4  
Old February 21, 2011, 09:45 AM
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Right - it's a bit like in Spanish when you use "o" or "u", "y" or "e"
for euphony and ease of speaking...
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Old February 21, 2011, 10:35 AM
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you also use an in front of hour because the h is silent
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  #6  
Old February 21, 2011, 10:40 AM
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Yes, I knew the rule, but I didn't pronounce well the word. Now I know it. Thanks everybody.
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