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According to the rule, the article "a" is for consonants and the article "an" is for vowels. Nevertheless, I have seen it frequently that many use the article "a" with both vowels and consonants. For example, they say "this is a expensive car" not "this is an expensive car" as it should be. Is there a reason for that?

Yoanna
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    'This is a expensive car' is ungrammatical. It should be this is an* expensive car*. – Decapitated Soul Mar 29 '20 at 16:23
  • If it's strictly a matter of writing, it's just a mistake. Many people make typos, especially when writing instead of typing. I have occasionally heard this, but very rarely, and either as a speech error or as an unsuccessful attempt to sound dialectal. – John Lawler Mar 29 '20 at 16:53
  • Yes, KannE. (English spellings are irregular and weird). – Decapitated Soul Mar 29 '20 at 16:54
  • The decision is not based on vowel or consonant, it's based on the sound -- vowel sound or consonant sound. Thus "an heir to the family fortune". – Hot Licks Mar 29 '20 at 17:39
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    In the 'London Multicultural' regional dialect, and certain others (e.g. Caribbean), the conventions about 'an' (and the way 'the' is said) before words starting with a vowel sound) are ignored. – Michael Harvey Mar 29 '20 at 17:56

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It's an expensive car.

As Kann says, it's about the sound, not the type of letter. For instance, we say a uniform and an honor.

It's simply easier to say an apple than a apple. Likewise, it's easier to say a uniform than an uniform.

(Americans say an herb, while Brits say a herb. Can you guess why?)

Charlie Bernstein
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