Do you use 'a' or 'an' before an H?

[Locut0s]

We all know the rule "a robot", "a man", "AN apple", "AN octopus". 'An' before words beginning with a vowel. But what about words beginning in H. It seems to me that people use both interchangeably "an historic event" "a historic event" which one do you use and which is proper?

 

[HamburgerBoy]

A house.
An hour.

 

[Wnh5001]

a sounds good to me.

 

[LineOFire]

If the subsequent word sounds like it starts with a vowel you would use 'an' I believe. At least it works for all of your examples and the two by HamburgerBoy.

An honest mistake, a home, etc.

 

[imported_bum]

In the "h" words where it's correct to use "an", it seems to me the h is silent and the pronunciation starts with a vowel sound.

edit: in other words, it's not the letter, it's the sound

 

[preslove]

Originally posted by: bum
In the "h" words where it's correct to use "an", it seems to me the h is silent and the pronunciation starts with a vowel sound.

edit: in other words, it's not the letter, it's the sound

 

[clickynext]

I think "historic" follows the same rule. Even though it doesn't sound that bad, I'm pretty sure "an historic event" is wrong.

 

[Syringer]

http://www.jimloy.com/language/historic.htm

If the H is silent, then it's "an", otherwise it's "a".

This poll sucks.

 

[Locut0s]

Originally posted by: LineOFire
If the subsequent word sounds like it starts with a vowel you would use 'an' I believe. At least it works for all of your examples and the two by HamburgerBoy.

An honest mistake, a home, etc.

Yeah sounds right.

 

[Shawn]

Originally posted by: bum
it's not the letter, it's the sound

 

[OVerLoRDI]

Originally posted by: HamburgerBoy
A house.
An hour.

 

[FoBoT]

did the poll get fixed yet

 

[Fenixgoon]

Originally posted by: OVerLoRDI

Originally posted by: HamburgerBoy
A house.
An hour.

 

[purbeast0]

holy ish is this a joke? this can't be a serious question ...

 

[n7]

I mistakenly voted for an H, since the way you worded the question was kinda misleading...

 

[2Xtreme21]

There are some ambiguities where it doesn't sound right either way.

 

[PlatinumGold]

Originally posted by: Locut0s
We all know the rule "a robot", "a man", "AN apple", "AN octopus". 'An' before words beginning with a vowel. But what about words beginning in H. It seems to me that people use both interchangeably "an historic event" "a historic event" which one do you use and which is proper?

an hour

a hotdog

depends on whether or not the h is silent.