An University? A University?

A or an

I attempted this question but answered wrongly. ________ university.

I chose an university, but the answer given is “a university”.

– Kah Kin

We use “an” before a singular noun beginning with a vowel sound, NOT a vowel. “University” begins with the vowel “u”, but is pronounced /yunivesiti/ and “y” is not a vowel. That is why “a university” is the right answer.

In contrast, “hour” is pronounced /our/ and we have to put “an” not “a” before “hour”, because it begins with a vowel sound: the “h” is not pronounced. That is why we say “an hour” and not “a hour”.

By FADZILAH AMIN - THE STAR