Sandpaper #5 Sandpaper: a, an Prediction: Why do you think that these words are sandpapers?
Answer Use a before words beginning with a consonant sound. Use an before words beginning with a vowel sound. The SOUND, not the actual letter, that the word begins with determines whether a or an should be used.
Examples They are building a hospital near our house. I would enjoy a donut right now. I bought a one-way ticket to Hawaii. (Even though “o” is a vowel, the word one begins with a consonant sound, “w”.)
Examples I would like an orange. It is raining, and I need an umbrella. We watched T.V. for an hour. Although “h” is a consonant, the word hour begins with a vowel sound. The “h” is not pronounced.
You Try… I would love to eat __apple; however, I packed __ pear.