Write 'a' or 'an'. ____ ice-cream ____ orange ____ student ____ English car ____ computer
Answer (1)
In English, when deciding whether to use 'a' or 'an' before a noun, you have to consider the sound that starts the word that follows, not just the first letter. Here's how you determine which article to use:
Use 'an' before words that begin with a vowel sound (a, e, i, o, u).
Use 'a' before words that begin with a consonant sound.
Let's look at the given words:
Ice-cream: The word 'ice-cream' starts with the vowel sound 'i'. Therefore, you use 'an', making it 'an ice-cream'.
Orange: The word 'orange' starts with the vowel sound 'o'. Therefore, you use 'an', making it 'an orange'.
Student: The word 'student' starts with the consonant sound 's'. Therefore, you use 'a', making it 'a student'.
English car: The word 'English' starts with the vowel sound 'e'. Therefore, you use 'an', making it 'an English car'.
Computer: The word 'computer' starts with the consonant sound 'c'. Therefore, you use 'a', making it 'a computer'.
Remember, the rule depends on the sound rather than just the letter itself. This is an important aspect of understanding articles in English grammar.
