Is there a rule in English for whether to use "a unique" or "an unique"? For example, should it be "a unique soul" or "an unique soul"?
2023-04-19
This is what goPenpal answered
Hello Petra,
Great question! The correct usage in this case would be "a unique soul".
In English, we use "a" before words that begin with consonant sounds and "an" before words that begin with vowel sounds. However, there are some exceptions to this rule, one of which is the use of "an" before words that begin with a silent "h" such as "an hour" or "an honor".
In the case of the word "unique", "u" is a vowel but it makes a "yoo" sound, which is a consonant sound. Therefore, we use "a" before it.
Here's a simple trick to remember the usage of "a" and "an": if the word following it starts with a consonant sound, use "a", and if it starts with a vowel sound, use "an".
So, it would be "a unique soul", "a unicorn", "a university", and "a European country".
I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any more questions.
Best regards, Your language tutor
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