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Nate
an knife or a knife?
As I know, the letter K is silent in this word, so in this situation, N is the first letter to be pronounced. Is it correct to use AN to describe it?
Thanks.
Mar 15, 2017 1:47 PM
Answers · 8
4
A knife.
You use 'a' for words that start with a consonant sound. Yes, the 'k' is silent but the following letter, 'n', still has a consonant sound. So you use 'a.' Notice now I say 'consonant sound' and not just consonant. For example you say 'an hour' because the 'h' is silent. And you say things like 'a university' because although it starts with a vowel, it doesn't start with a vowel sound.
March 15, 2017
1
Answer : A knife
Always use "A" just before the sound of a consonant, here the "n" sound at the beginning of "knife"
March 15, 2017
1
Yon should never bring "a" knife to a gun fight.
March 15, 2017
We use "an" article with vowel sounds, in your case knife sounds "nife" which is not a vowel sound so you cannot say a knife
March 16, 2017
Thanks for your comment, Alain!
March 15, 2017
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Nate
Language Skills
Chinese (Mandarin), Chinese (Cantonese), English
Learning Language
English
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