The Student Room Group

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Reply 1
The latter.
Reply 2
A hospital. try saying them both, an hospital doesn't even come out of your mouth easily so thats a pretty easy way to figure it out :smile:
Why would it be "an hospital" :s-smilie:
Reply 4
"a hospital"
Reply 5
depends whether or not you pronounce the 'h'; but since most people do, 'a hospital.' :yy:
Reply 6
oh deary me.

A hospital
An is used when the subject word begins with a vowel.

Well, not always. :p:
Reply 8
A hospital. Although, some people who have common accents may say "an ospital" which is just wrong.
'A Hospital'.

It would only ever be 'an' if the person saying it doesn't pronounce the 'h' at the beginning, making it 'ospital' - which follows the rule that 'an' goes before vowels.

Seeing as the correct way of saying 'hospital' is by pronouncing the 'h' at the beginning, 'a hospital' would be the one to use.
Reply 10
Looks like a pretty ridiculous question in hindsight. I think it's because I'd been staring at 'a hospital' for so long, my brain just kind of doubted itself. Thanks tout le monde.
Reply 11
Actually no, there's some sort of rule, but I was taught that an is right for some H sounds. I think it depends on whether the h is silent or on dialect. For example, if you said "I'm at 'ome" instead of "I'm at home", you'd say an instead of a, so it'd be "an 'ome", instead of "a 'ome". Neither is incorrect. It would, however, be incorrect to say "a heir to the throne".
With "an honour" I am unsure if it meant to be correct :s-smilie: Naturally you pronounce "honour" as "onour" so it makes sense to say an rather than a but is it grammatically correct?

There is even a website called www.itsanhonour.gov.au :\

EDIT: Just read Jessaay!'s post :smile:
Long Haired Teen
Why would it be "an hospital" :s-smilie:


In certain languages, "h" is a vowel. Any words we nicked from them use an "an".

Think of "an hotel"; the word is French, and they treat "h" as a vowel. "An heir" is exactly the same. However, we would say "a hair", as it is not originally a French word.
Reply 14
XCRUSHESX
With "an honour" I am unsure if it meant to be correct :s-smilie: Naturally you pronounce "honour" as "onour" so it makes sense to say an rather than a but is it grammatically correct?

There is even a website called www.itsanhonour.gov.au :\


It's correct. Silent h sounds use "an" instead of "a".
Jessaay!
It's correct. Silent h sounds use "an" instead of "a".


Wicked, but goodness the english can be a bit..complicated with the rules :p: no wonder America enjoys altering it...:rolleyes:
Reply 16
Jessaay!
Actually no, there's some sort of rule, but I was taught that an is right for some H sounds. I think it depends on whether the h is silent or on dialect. For example, if you said "I'm at 'ome" instead of "I'm at home", you'd say an instead of a, so it'd be "an 'ome", instead of "a 'ome". Neither is incorrect. It would, however, be incorrect to say "a heir to the throne".

I think the rule is just that if the word begins with a vowel sound then you say 'an'. The rule is only there to make the word easier to say (or so I was taught), not for any other reason, so if you pronounce the word to begin with a vowel then you could say 'an' instead of 'a'. Eg. "A hat" "an 'at" - in written though of course you would write normally so would always write "a hat".
Ice_Queen
Think of "an hotel"; the word is French, and they treat "h" as a vowel. "An heir" is exactly the same. However, we would say "a hair", as it is not originally a French word.

They don't treat H as a vowel, but it is silent in some French words like "hôtel", hence "l'hôtel" rather than "le hôtel".
Reply 19
A hospital. You only say "an" if the corresponding noun begins with a vowel.