Page 986 - Wordsmith A Guide to College Writing

Words Commonly Confused

1 Choose the correct word when faced with

commonly confused words, such as there

and their, less and fewer, or to, too, and

two.

a, an

The article a is used before consonant

sounds. The article an is used before vowel
sounds.

a cat, a sandy beach, a widely held opinion; an advanced class, an

egg, an ostrich.

But you must base your choice on the consonant or vowel sound.

Some words—such as those beginning with a silent h or with a u that