Which is correct: "an honest" or "a honest" in a sentence?
2023-06-26
This is what goPenpal answered
The correct form is "an honest". In English, we use "an" before words that start with a vowel sound, and "honest" starts with a vowel sound when pronounced even though it starts with a consonant when written. While the letter ‘h’ is a consonant, the way ‘honest’ is pronounced makes it sound like it begins with a vowel, hence we use 'an'.
To elaborate more, in English grammar, “a” and “an” are indefinite articles and the usage depends on the sound that follows them. “A” is used before words that begin with a consonant sound, while “an” is used before words that begin with a vowel sound, which include vowels (a, e, i, o, u) and silent 'h'. So, in the case of 'honest', the 'h' isn't pronounced, making the initial sound a vowel sound, hence 'an honest'. This rule can be tricky for English learners but keep in mind it’s about the sound, not the actual first letter in the word.
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