The "wh" sound
/wh/ as in whale · Digraphs
W and H blow a puff of air together. Teach the sound before the spelling: say /wh/ as in whale until your child can hear it inside a word, then show them the letters that make it.
wh
/wh/ as in whale
"wh" words
- whale
- wheel
- when
- what
- white
- which
- whisk
- whip
Teach it in four steps
- Say /wh/ as in whale on its own, five times, with no letters visible.
- Show the letters "wh" and say the sound together.
- Read whale, wheel, when, what, white and listen for it each time.
- Cover the words. Your child writes two of them from memory.
Common questions
What sound does "wh" make?
"wh" says /wh/ as in whale. W and H blow a puff of air together.
What are some "wh" words?
whale, wheel, when, what, white, which, whisk, whip.
How do you teach the "wh" sound?
Sound before symbol. Say /wh/ as in whale on its own until your child can hear it, then show the letters, then read words containing it. Finish by having them write two words from memory.
When should children learn "wh"?
Once single-letter sounds and simple CVC blending are secure — usually late kindergarten or first grade.
Play the "wh" game
Sound Wheels plays the sound in a real human voice and builds words with it.
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