Unit 20: How many hours? /h/

A. How to make the sound /h/

Look at the diagram. Listen and say the sound. The air comes through a small gap at the back of the mouth. There is no voicing. Target sound: /hə/

B. Sound and spelling

/h/ is usually spelled h, but it is spelled wh in a few words.
Listen and say these words.

• hat: /hæt/
• here: /hɪr/
• help: /help/
• hot: /hɑːt/
• how: /haʊ/
• behind: /bɪˈhaɪnd/

Listen and say these other words with /h/:

• who: /huː/
• whose: /huːz/
• whole: /hoʊl/
• hour: /ˈaʊ.ər/
• honest: /ˈɑː.nɪst/

Listen and say these phrases and sentences:

1. Hi, hello, how are you? /haɪ | həˈloʊ | haʊ ər ju/
2. Whose hat is this? /huːz hæt ɪz ðɪs/
3. It’s hot in here. /ɪts hɑːt ɪn hɪr/
4. We had a whole month’s holiday. /wi hæd ə hoʊl mʌnθs ˈhɑː.lə.deɪ/
5. Can you help me for half an hour? /kən ju help mi fər hæf ə n ˈaʊ.ər/
6. Who’s who? /huːz huː/