Question by  mak1skav (30)

Which is grammatically correct; a historical or an historical?

There are some words that begin with "h" that you need an before.


Answer by  kiwifreund (7)

The most important thing to remember about using "a" versus "an" is the beginning sound of the next word. If the word begins with a vowel sound, like "orange", then use "an orange". The dominant sounds in "historical" is a vowel sound, so you would use "an".


Answer by  patti (29325)

Most people say "historical" with a soft, almost imperceptible H sound. Because the H is soft, the article "an" is used, and the N in "an" is almost run into the word "historical."


Answer by  NaplesGirl (11)

The phrase, "a historical", is correct. But it's true that some words beginning with the letter, "h", need "an" before them. It all depends on whether the "h" is sounded. If it is, as in "history", "hat", "hoax", use "a". If not, as in "heir", or "hour", use "an" before.


Answer by  jeroboam (185)

"A historical" would be preferable in U.S. English, in which one generally aspirates the letter "h" in "historical" In the same way that one says the word "hiss".

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