The Letter H
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Basics on the topic The Letter H
Introduction to the Letter H
Welcome to the wonderful world of the letter H! As we explore the English alphabet, the letter H/h stands out with its distinct shape and sound. It may be a bit quieter in pronunciation than some other letters, but it plays a pivotal role in many words we use every day. From "history" to "helicopter," learning about the letter h is an exciting step in literacy.
Understanding the Letter H – Definition and Sounds
The letter h is the eighth letter in the English alphabet and is associated with the /h/ sound, as heard at the beginning of words like "hat" and "house."
Pronouncing the letter h involves a gentle, breathy quality, as if you are exhaling slightly. This sound is sometimes referred to as an unvoiced sound because it is produced without vocal cord vibration. It's essential for learners to grasp the role of h in language, as it can affect the pronunciation and meaning of words.
Writing the Letter H – How to?
Writing the letter h is simple and fun whether you're working with capital H or lower case h. The capital H is formed with two vertical lines connected by a horizontal line in the middle. The lower case h has a similar structure but starts with a tall, ascending line and is finished with a curved line on the right side that loops around to the bottom. Follow the steps below to write a pre-cursive letter h.
| Step | Instruction | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Start on the black line |  |
| 2 | Whoosh all the way to the top. |  |
| 3 | Come back down making a straight line. |  |
| 4 | Go half way back up this straight line and curve over the top. |  |
| 5 | Come straight down and finish with a small flick. |  |
The Letter H – Example Words
Now let's see the letter h in action. We can find the letter H at the beginning of words: "Hannah helps her brother Hector." Here, the letter H begins both the name Hannah and Hector, and the word helps, showcasing its /h/ sound.
The letter h can also appear in the middle or end of words, such as in "behind" or "oh". Additionally, the letter h likes being in words with silent letters, particularly when it follows the letter g, as in "ghost" or "ghastly." Finally, the letter h is a common letter in digraphs such as /ch/, /sh/ and /th/.
Words with the Letter H
The letter h is versatile, appearing in a variety of words. Here's a table displaying words that begin with, contain, or end with the letter h:
| Begin With | Contain | End With |
|---|---|---|
| house | behind | oh |
| horse | which | although |
| happy | whale | truth |
| hill | ghost | high |
The Letter H – Summary
Key Learnings from this Text:
- The letter h is the eighth letter of the English alphabet.
- It represents the /h/ sound, which is unvoiced and aspirated.
- The letter h can be silent in some words, particularly when paired with other consonants like g.
- Recognising both capital "H" and lower case /h/ is crucial for developing reading and writing skills.
Continue practising the letter h with interactive games, engaging worksheets and hands-on activities. Before long, you'll be spotting and writing the letter h with ease!
The Letter H – Frequently Asked Questions
Transcript The Letter H
Let’s join Dee and Kala in the phonics garden and learn all about /h/. This is the letter H, it makes the sound /h/. This is a capital /H/ and this is a lower case /h/. They both make the /h/ sound like in happy, hand and hop! Let's practise the /h/ sound with Kala! "/h/, /h/!" Can you spy anything in the garden that begins with /h/? "There are hearts, that starts with /h/!" Is there anything else in the garden that starts with /h/? "There's a hen that also begins with /h/!" Uh-oh! /h/ is hiding with the other letters! Can you help find /h/ in the alphabet? Point to the letter when you find it! Did you also point here? You did some great work in the phonics garden! Today we learnt all about /h/, we listened to and made the /h/ sound, we found words that begin with /h/ and found it in the alphabet! Interested in a challenge? Watch this video again and try to find the horse and hedgehog hidden in the garden! Comment below when and where you find them! If you want to learn more, check out the next sound!
