Question

Fill in the blank with the appropriate article or select 'No article':
'He is ________ honorable gentleman who always keeps his word.'

• A. a
• B. an
• C. the
• D. No article

Hint:

1. Never choose "a" or "an" based solely on the spelling of the first letter. Always pronounce the word to check if the first sound is a vowel or consonant.
2. Words like "honorable", "honest", "hour", and "heir" all start with a silent 'h' and require the article "an".

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Question:
1. This grammar question tests the correct application of English articles ("a", "an", "the", or no article) before descriptive noun phrases.
2. The choice between "a" and "an" depends on the phonetic sound of the word immediately following the article, rather than its spelling.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
1. Firstly, let us identify the word immediately following the blank, which is "honorable".
2. Secondly, we look at the phonetic pronunciation of "honorable".
- The initial letter 'h' in "honorable" is silent.
- The word is pronounced as /ˈɒn.ər.ə.bəl/, which begins with a vowel sound (the 'o' sound /ɒ/).
3. Thirdly, let us recall the standard rules for indefinite articles:
- "A" is used before words that begin with a consonant sound (e.g., "a useful book" where 'u' sounds like /j/).
- "An" is used before words that begin with a vowel sound (e.g., "an umbrella", "an hour" where 'h' is silent).
4. Since "honorable" begins with a vowel sound, the correct indefinite article is "an".
5. Fourthly, let us check why the definite article "the" or "No article" is not preferred:
- "The" is used for specific, previously mentioned, or unique entities. While "honorable gentleman" is descriptive, it is introduced here in a general sense to describe his character, which typically warrants the indefinite article "an" unless he is further specified as a unique, singular figure in a known context. Here, "an honorable gentleman" is the natural, idiomatic expression.

Step 3: Final Answer:
1. The correct article to fill in the blank is "an".
2. This matches Option (B).