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A, which is a shortened form of an, signifies one, or any. An was formerly used before nouns beginning with either a consonant or a vowel sound, but now an is used before a vowel sound and a before a consonant sound; as, a book, a hat, an apple, an eagle.
It will be observed that an heiress, an herb, an honest man, an honorable career, an hourly visit, a euchre party, a euphemism, a eulogy, a union, etc., are not exceptions to the foregoing rule, for the h being silent in heiress, herb, etc., the article an precedes a vowel sound, and in euphemism, eulogy, union, the article a precedes the consonant sound of y. Compare u-nit with you knit.
In like manner some persons have felt disposed to say many an one instead of many a one because of the presence of the vowel o. But the sound is the consonant sound of w as in won, and the article should be a and not an.
There is a difference of opinion among writers concerning the use of a and an, before words beginning with h, when not silent, especially when the accent falls on the second syllable; as, a harpoon, a hegira, a herbarium, a herculean effort, a hiatus, a hidalgo, a hydraulic engine, a hyena, a historian. The absence of the accent weakens the h sound, and makes it seem as if the article a was made to precede a vowel. The use of an is certainly more euphonious and is supported by Webster's Dictionary and other high authority.
The Honorable, The Reverend
Such titles as Honorable and Reverend require the article the; as, "The Honorable William R. Gladstone is often styled 'The Grand Old Man,'" "The Reverend Henry Ward Beecher was an eloquent orator," not Honorable William, E. Gladstone, or Reverend Henry Ward Beecher.
Article omitted
"A clergyman and philosopher entered the hall together." "A clergyman and philosopher" means one person who is both clergyman and philosopher. The article should be repeated. "A clergyman and a philosopher entered the hall together."
"A red and white flag" means one flag of two colors. "A red and a white flag" means two flags, a red flag and a white flag. "A great and a good man has departed." The verb has implies that only one man has departed, hence the sentence should be, "A great and good man has departed."
"They sang the first and second verse," should be, "They sang the first and the second verse." "The literal and figurative meaning of words" should be, "The literal and the figurative meaning of words."
"In framing of his sentences he was very exact," should be, "In the framing," etc., or, "In framing his sentences he was very exact." "The masculine and feminine gender," should be, "The masculine and the feminine gender."
"After singing a hymn, Miss Willard made a stirring address." If Miss Willard alone sang the hymn the sentence is correct. If the congregation sang the hymn the sentence should be, "After the singing of a hymn, Miss Willard made a stirring address."
"He is but a poor writer at best." Say, "at the best." "He received but a thousand votes at most." Say, "at the most."
"John came day before yesterday." Say, "the day before yesterday."
Article redundant
"Shakespeare was a greater writer than an actor," should be, "Shakespeare was a greater writer than actor."
"This is the kind of a tree of which he was speaking," should be, "This is the kind of tree," etc. "What kind of a bird is this?" should be, "What kind of bird."
"The one styled the Provost is the head of the University," should be, "The one styled Provost."
"The nominative and the objective cases," should be "The nominative and objective cases."
"He made a mistake in the giving out the text." Say "in giving out the text," or, "in the giving out of the text." In the latter instance, the participle becomes a noun and may take the article before it.
Articles interchanged
"An elephant is the emblem of Siam," should be, "The elephant is the emblem," etc. "A digraph is the union of two letters to represent one sound." Should be, "A digraph is a union," etc.
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