'An' is used before words which begin with a vowel sound. Note that we are talking about sounds and not spelling. For example the word "European" begins with the vowel letter 'e' but it is pronounced with the consonant sound / j /. Therefore we say and write, "He's British but he thinks of himself as a European.".
Similarly one may ask, why do we say a European and not an European?
Because European is said with an initial y sound which counts as a consonantal sound in English speech, It is said (and written) with a not an. An abbreviation such as M.P. which is pronounced em pea begins with a spoken vowel and so it is an M.P.
Secondly, which is correct an MBA or a MBA? MBA is an initialism, pronounced “em be ayy” (or something like that). It begins, then, with a vowel sound: write “an MBA.” On the other hand, write “a master of business administration degree.” (For definitions of initialism and other types of abbreviations, see CMOS 10.2.)
Hereof, is it an or a before m?
The initial “M” is pronounced “em.” The first sound is the short “e” vowel. So it should be preceded by the article “an” instead of “a.” Some wholly written-out words, especially those that begin with a silent consonant (in effect, a glottal stop), also take “an” as their indefinite article.
Is it an honest or a honest?
Jane eats an egg everyday - the word "egg" starts with a vowel sound, so we use "an". the word honest starts with a vowel sound, since the letter "h" is not pronounced in this situation. It happens with other words that start with "h".
Related Question Answers
Is an one grammatically correct?
One is pronounced “wun,” therefore it sound like a consonant, although it's written as a vowel. The word “one” is always pronounced “wun,” as if the vowel “o” in “one” is the consonant “w.” Therefore, the example sentence should be rendered as “a one-time opportunity.”Is it an hour or a hour?
If a word begins with a vowel sound, then the correct article is an; otherwise, if it begins with a consonantal sound, the correct article is a. Because hour is typically pronounced with a silent h, an hour is correct.Is Europe singular or plural?
The plural form of European is Europeans.Is it correct to say an year?
The article "a" is used before words that begin with a consonant sound. The letter "y" can function either as a vowel or a consonant. In the case of the word "year," it functions as a consonant, so "a year" is correct.What is a European person?
: a person born, raised, or living in Europe also : a native or resident of the continent of Europe rather than Britain. : a person who is descended from Europeans. See the full definition for European in the English Language Learners Dictionary. European.What are vowel sounds in English?
A vowel is a particular kind of speech sound made by changing the shape of the upper vocal tract, or the area in the mouth above the tongue. These letters are vowels in English: A, E, I, O, U, and sometimes Y. It is said that Y is "sometimes" a vowel, because the letter Y represents both vowel and consonant sounds.Why Article A is used before university?
The article 'a' should always be used before words that start with consonant sounds. So, you need to remember that if a word begins with a vowel, but has an initial consonant sound, ('university' as an example), use the article 'a' before it.Can you start a sentence with just?
Although not all linguists agree, most take the subject to be Just because you're correct. For example, in the sentence How you do it doesn't matter, How you do it is a noun clause acting as the subject of the sentence. Noun clauses typically don't begin with the subordinating conjunction because, or with just because.WHEN TO USE AN and a in a sentence?
“A” is used before words starting in consonant sounds and “an” is used before words starting with vowel sounds. It doesn't matter if the word is an adjective, a noun, an adverb, or anything else; the rule is exactly the same.Is it a or an before F?
Use AN before words such as "hour" which sound like they start with a vowel even if the first letter is a consonant. Also use AN before letters and numbers which sound like they begin with a vowel, such as "F" or "8". Remember, it is the sound not the spelling which is important.Why we say an hour?
Its because 'an' precedes a word which starts with a vowel or a word which has a pronunciation as a vowel. In hour, the pronunciation of 'H' is silent and so the immediate letter 'O' is considered here.Why don't we use an before university?
So, although the letter is a vowel, it is not pronounced like one in 'university' because it does not have a vowel sound. We therefore say 'a university'. The U in umbrella is pronounced as a vowel sound ( Λ using the phonetic alphabet) and so we use 'an'. We therefore say 'an umbrella'.Is UA a vowel?
The letter <u> is usually a vowel, but it acts as a consonant when comes after the letter <q>, as in unique, or when it spells the [w] sound.When to use a instead of an before a vowel?
The rule is that you use “a" before words that start with a consonant sound and “an” before words that start with a vowel sound.Is MA a vowel sound?
“M.A.” is pronounced “emm aye”, so it's a vowel sound.Is it a FBI agent or an FBI agent grammar?
Correct Examples Therefore, you use “a.”) An FBI agent (FBI is pronounced EF-B-I — a vowel sound. Therefore, you use “an.”) An NGO (NGO is pronounced as EN-G-O — a vowel sound.)Is an MBA a professional degree?
Master of Business Administration. The MBA is a terminal degree and a professional degree. Accreditation bodies specifically for MBA programs ensure consistency and quality of education.Is an MBA a master's degree?
The MBA program is a common type of master's degree, which focuses on business skills. A Master of Business Administration (MBA) program is a kind of master's degree program that concentrates on refining general management competencies with an emphasis on business skills, such as accounting or employee relations.Why do we say an MBA?
When the letter M is pronounced, it sounds like "em" so since it begins with a vowel sound and we are saying the letters one by one, I would say "an" MBA. 
