Do you use a or an with word starting s?

Whether you use "a" or "an" before a word starting with "s" depends on the sound of the word, not just the letter itself.

Here's the rule:

* Use "an" if the word starts with a vowel sound. For example:

* an hour

* an umbrella

* an honor

* Use "a" if the word starts with a consonant sound. For example:

* a street

* a school

* a snake

The trick with "s" is that it can have both vowel and consonant sounds:

* Consonant sound: "s" at the beginning of a word like "street" or "snake" sounds like the "s" in "sun".

* Vowel sound: "s" at the beginning of a word like "hour" or "honor" sounds like the "h" in "hat".

Examples:

* a story (starts with the consonant sound "s")

* an apple (starts with the vowel sound "a")

* a scarf (starts with the consonant sound "s")

* an elephant (starts with the vowel sound "e")