What would be proper use of these..

A & An... Indefinite Articles
As you suggest, Snookered, the "An" is used to modify words beginning with a vowel. Usage is based on sound. There is a gray area with words which may sound as though they begin with a vowel, e.g. those starting with an "H" ... e.g. "an hour" not "a hour." or those words which sound as though they begin with a consonant... e.g. "a union" not "an union." Most dictionaries will provide the correct indefinite article to use.

I agree that "Got" often sounds awkward though it is fine as the past form of "get." Generally you can substitute "received" and feel better about yourself.

The BBC (What could be more dignified?) has a basic English website:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/

but there are loads of them online.

Great site
Thank you so much.

You are welcome, Snookered,. Welcome to a2k, too. I hope you find other threads of interest.

I agree with Piffka. The use of 'a' and 'an' is not only specifised with words starting with vowel letters. Like the work 'honest' when it is pronounced. it does not give the sound of 'h' but sounds like 'o' so we write it 'an honest man' not 'a honest man. And the use of 'a' is very simple, like when we say 'one boy' we use 'a boy'.

A missing issue here is the one about the difference between spoken and written English.

(1) Usage of "got" is widespread in spoken English but tends to frowned on written English where there is time to find an appropriate alternative, Similarly (2) the "a"->"an" rule before a "vowel" originates in the phonetics of English (speech) where "vowels" are not merely the five (written) symbols "a e i o u". Hence, for example, "a union" is correct because the noun starts with a phonetic consonant ("y"). Interestingly we have etymological interference with this phonetic ruling in respect of the item "an hotel" because the silent "h" (from the French) is now rare except for "British upper class English" .

I agree, orally is when I realize that there could have been a better word choice. Using "I got it" instead of "I understand", is an example of my choice of usage that I dislike.