- an owl;
- an apple;
- an honest man;
- a stone;
- a pear.
177. Special rules for a or an are the following:—
1. Before words beginning with the sound of y or w, the form a, not an, is used.
Examples:
- a union,
- a university,
- a yew,
- a ewe,
- a eulogy,
- a Utopian
- scheme,
- such a one.
This rule covers all words beginning with eu and many beginning with u. Note that the initial sound is a consonant, not a vowel. An was formerly common before such words (as,—an union, such an one), but a is now the settled form.
2. Before words beginning with h and not accented on the first syllable, an is often used. Thus, we say—
- a his´tory;
- BUT, an histor´ical novel.
In such cases, the h is very weak in sound, and is sometimes quite silent, so that the word practically begins with a vowel. Usage varies, but careful writers favor the rule here given. An was formerly more common before h than at present.
178. With two or more connected nouns or adjectives the article should be repeated whenever clearness requires (cf. [§ 123]).