2.18: The Consonant Sounds [h] and [th]

Consonant Sounds [h] and [th]

Usually [h] is spelled <h>, and sometimes <wh>. The sound [th] is always spelled <th>.

Examples

You can hear the sound [h] at the beginning of help.

You can hear the sound [th] at the beginning of thing.

Review

1. Underline the letters that spell [h] in the following words.
   \begin{align*}
       & \text{who} && \text{anyhow} && \text{have} && \text{whom}\\
       & \text{behind} && \text{whole} && \text{helicopter} && \text{height}\\
       & \text{ahead} && \text{perhaps} && \text{whose} && \text{heard}
   \end{align*}
2. The sound [h] is spelled ___________ in eight of the words.
3. It is spelled _________________ in four of the words.
4. Sort the words into these two groups:
5. Two ways to spell [h] are ___________ and __________.
6. Underline the letters in the words below that spell [th]. Be careful! Some of the words do not contain [th] — and so in these words you should not underline any letters:
   \begin{align*}
       & \text{something} && \text{earth} && \text{thirty} && \text{through}\\
       & \text{thank} && \text{lighthouse} && \text{breath} && \text{thin}\\
       & \text{light} && \text{thought} && \text{church} && \text{fifth}\\
       & \text{short} && \text{often} && \text{white} && \text{hothead}
   \end{align*}
7. Sort the words into these groups:
8. The two words with <th> but not [th] are ____________ and ___________.
9. How many ways did you find to spell [th]? _____________
10. The sound [th] is always spelled ___________.

Show Answer

1. \begin{align*}
       &  w\underline{h}o  &&  any\underline{h}ow  &&  \underline{h}ave  &&  w\underline{h}om \\
       &  be\underline{h}ind  &&  w\underline{h}ole  &&  \underline{h}elicopter  &&  \underline{h}eig\underline{h}t \\
       &  a\underline{h}ead  &&  per\underline{h}aps  &&  w\underline{h}ose  &&  \underline{h}eard 
   \end{align*}
2. The sound [h] is spelled <h> in eight of the words.
3. It is spelled <wh> in four of the words.

4. Words with [h] spelled ...

   <h>		<wh>
   behind	have	who
   ahead	helicopter	whole
   anyhow	height	whose
   perhaps	heard	whom

5. Two ways to spell [h] are <h> and <wh>.
6. \begin{align*}
       &  some\underline{th}ing  &&  ear\underline{th}  &&  \underline{th}irty  &&  \underline{th}rough \\
       &  \underline{th}ank  &&  ligh\underline{th}ouse  &&  brea\underline{th}  &&  \underline{th}in \\
       &  light  &&  \underline{th}ought  &&  church  &&  fif\underline{th} \\
       &  short  &&  often  &&  white  &&  ho\underline{th}ead 
   \end{align*}
7. The two words with <th> but not [th] are lighthouse and hothead.
8. How many ways did you find to spell [th]? One
9. The sound [th] is always spelled <th>

Explore More

Word Pyramids. The following Pyramids consist of words that contain the sound [h] spelled <h>:

 

Show Answer