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From: "CDB" <bellemarec@sympatico.ca>
Newsgroups: alt.languages.english
Subject: Re: using "an"
Date: Fri, 30 May 2008 10:09:13 -0400
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Matilda wrote:
> "Daniel.C" <dcolardelleZZZZ@free.fr> wrote in message
> news:48198adb$0$2008$426a74cc@news.free.fr...
>> I learned to use "an" before a noun beginning by a vowel. I think
>> this is correct :
>> an user
>> but I read so many "a user" that I don't know what to think.
> There are exceptions to every rule and this is one of them. In this
> case "a user" is correct.
That is not an exception to the rule, and I am not aware thatb there
are any exceptions to this one. The rule is that "an" is used before
words beginning with a vowel *sound*, and "a" is used before words
beginning with a consonant *sound*. "User" begins with the sound of
the consonant "y": a user; "hour" begins with the sound of the vowel
"ah": an hour.
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