Writing Tip

Use “A” or “An” with Words That Begin With the Letter H Depending on Stress and Your Auditory Intuition

Difficulty Level: Basic

Recommendation: When using the indefinite article a/an with words that begin with H, let your ear guide you.

Two people asked me about this one within the same hour, so this subject must be kismet for the tips database. The letter “H” is typically considered a consonant when selecting between “a” and “an,” but it’s a wimpy consonant, right on the verge of being a vowel. In the way that “Y” can sometimes be treated as a vowel, so can “H.” Here’s a rule of thumb that’s really a description of my minor observations, but it is my preference and not a widely discussed practice:

When “H” is stressed in the first syllable, treat it like a consonant. For example:

• A History
• A Harmony
• A Horticulture

Otherwise, treat it like a vowel. For example:

• An Hysteria (Second Syllable Stressed)
• An Holistic (Second Syllable Stressed)
• An Historical (Second Syllable Stressed)

However, “An Harmonic” sounds strange to me, even though the stress is on the second syllable. Here’s my advice: If you’re unsure about where the stress lies or you feel that using “an” is pretentious or awkward, you can’t go wrong using “a.” But to my ears, “An Historical” sounds right, and in the reading process, phonics is crucial (in fact, phonetics is an important part of any grammar; it’s just not discussed very often).

NOTE: In some H words, the H is silent, such as “Hour” or “Honor.” In these cases, always use “an.”