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# an

«an» in Mova's school dictionary: **a small word used before a word that starts with a vowel…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

article (an — the form of «a» before a vowel sound)

### meaning for a pupil

1) An is a small word used before a word that starts with a vowel sound, like an apple, an egg or an hour. It means one. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/an/#m1)

2) In rates «an» means each or per: «60 km an hour», «5 dollars an hour». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/an/#m2)

3) (casual) In quick talk «an» is often swallowed or turned into «a»: «a apple» is heard but wrong in writing. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/an/#m3)

4) (casual) «'n'» or «an'» is a clipped «and»: «fish 'n' chips», «me an' him»; this is a different word. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/an/#m4)

5) (formal, old) Some formal writers still use «an» before a sounded h: «an historic day», «an hotel». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/an/#m5)

### sense in the lessons

In school maths: means one of something before a vowel sound; in rates it means «each» or «per», as in «an hour», so the total is rate × time. In everyday reading: «an» shows a new thing in a story, «the» shows one we already know («an owl... the owl»). In casual talk: «an hour» is often «an hr» in texts. In the exam voice: «per hour», «at a rate of 5 dollars per hour». Phrases: «an hour», «an apple a day», «once an hour», «an hour and a half».

### examples

- Sam has an apple and 3 pears. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/an/#x1)
- A car goes 60 kilometres an hour. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/an/#x2)
- She earns 5 dollars an hour. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/an/#x3)
- An egg costs 20 cents. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/an/#x4)
- An elephant is the biggest land animal. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/an/#x5)
- We waited for an hour and a half. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/an/#x6)
- An owl lived in the tree; the owl hooted all night. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/an/#x7)
- It is an honour to meet you. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/an/#x8)
- been waiting like an hr, where r u (casual) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/an/#x9)
- 5 bucks an hour?? that's a rip-off (casual) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/an/#x10)
- An 8 and an 18 are both even. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/an/#x11)
- Remuneration is at a rate of 5 dollars per hour; compute the earnings for a period of 6 hours. (formal exam) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/an/#x12)
- Then an idea came to him. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/an/#x13)

### note

Use «an» before a vowel sound, not just a vowel letter: «an hour», «an honest boy» (silent h), but «a uniform», «a one-way street» (they start with a «y» or «w» sound). Numbers follow the sound: «an 8», «an 11», «an 18», but «a 1» and «a 7». Maths: «an» can stand for the number one. In «miles an hour» or «dollars an hour» it marks a rate, so the total is rate × time. Trap: forgetting that «an orange» counts as 1. Formal «per» = an in rates. Casual «'n'» means and, not an.

### In the corpora

- [A job interview is a meeting where an employer asks questions to decide whom to hire; several people usually compete for one job.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/3-finding-a-job-and-getting-on/8/)
- [A pay rise is an increase in pay; some come each year, others have to be asked for.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/3-finding-a-job-and-getting-on/12/)
- [An employment tribunal is a kind of court for work disputes, such as being sacked unfairly or not being paid what is owed.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/4-when-work-goes-wrong/17/)
- [An inheritance is money or belongings left by someone who has died, as written in their will.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/5-where-money-comes-from/13/)
- [An overdraft lets you spend below zero, which is borrowing, and banks charge high interest on it.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/7-cards-banks-and-apps/12/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «an» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/an/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.