Words with WH- - LiteracyTools.ie

1 Words with WH- Pronunciation of Wh- at the start of Words In most English dictionaries, in Words with the letter combination WH, the W is rendered as silent. For example: The Oxford Dictionary gives exactly the same pronunciation guide (wot) to watt (a unit of electricity) and what, as in What do you pay for a watt of electricity? However, in practice the Irish, Scots, Welsh and Northern English regard the W as silent in only a limited number of Words (such as whole, who - pronounced hole, hoo). Otherwise, we use a sound like whuh (the sound you might make in blowing out a candle) in Words like wheat, whether, which. Strangely enough, this is because we keep the earlier sound, originally spelled HW- as in the old English hwaer for where. What has this got to do with spelling? If you are Irish, it may actually help to emphasise that whuh sound at the start of Words to help you remember Words easily confused: whether weather where were Sometimes it helps to make up a sentence that you practise to reinforce the spelling : Whether the weather is rainy or dry, I go for a walk every day.

2 Where were you when I needed you? 1 Exercise 1 - Words starting with WH- Choose the correct word from the box below to fill the gaps: wheel while whip whirl wheat whisper whistle wheeze whiskey (Irish or ) whisky (Scotch) 1. In the raffle I won a bottle of Scotch wh - - - - and a bottle of Irish wh - - - - -. 2. She is a coeliac and cannot have any foods which include the gluten of wh - - - . 3. I have been working hard wh - - - you were sitting around reading the paper. 4. The referee blew his wh - - - - - and the match was over. 5. The week before the wedding went by in a wh --- of preparations. 6. Halfway there I got a puncture in the front wh - - - of my bike. 7. The jockey was punished for overuse of the wh - -. 8. The baby still had a bad cold and a frightening wh ---- in her chest. 9. All the time I was talking, I could hear them carrying on a conversation is a loud wh.

3 Answers to exercises on Last Page 2 Exercise 2 WH- Words what when where why which whether whatsoever whenever whereabouts whereas Rewrite the sentences, putting in the appropriate word from the box above: 1. _____ do you think you are going? 2. _____ are you making such a fuss? 3. People turned to stare _____ she came into a room. 4. She was blonde _____ her twin was dark. 5. I have no intention _____ of changing my mind about it. 6. He didn t know ____ to do for the best. 7. She didn t know _____of the dresses to choose for the party. 8. You are going to have to go, _____ you like it or not. 9. Give her my regards _____ you see her next. 10. The police were looking for any information about the _____ of the suspects. Answers to exercises on last page 3 Exercise 3 - WH- Words having a silent W who whose whom whole wholesome wholesale wholemeal wharf* * wharf = a platform built along a shore.

4 You will often find it now in the address of fashionable waterside apartments - Fisherman s Wharf. Fill the gaps with one of the Words above: 1. There is somebody here to - - - - we owe our success. 2. He is the man - - - - - hard work and persistence has made all this possible. 3. I suppose you know - - - I am talking about. 4. I am trying to eat more - - - - - - - - - food so I eat - - - - -- - - - bread. 5. Did you mean he was listening the - - - - - time we were talking about him? 6. If you want to save some money, I can get it for you - - - - - - - - - . 7. The new apartment building by the river is called Fisherman s - - - - -. Answers to exercises on last page 4 Answers Exercise 1: 1. Scotch whisky, Irish whiskey 2. Wheat 3. While 4. Whistle 5. Whirl 6. Wheel 7. Whip 8. Wheeze 9 whisper Exercise 2: 1. where 2. why 3. when or whenever 4. whereas 5 . whatsoever 6. what 7. which 8. whether 9.

5 When 10. whereabouts * * Some other similar Words are: wherever, whereupon, whereby wherewithal Exercise 3: 1. whom 2. whose 3. who 4. wholesome, wholemeal 5. whole 6. wholesale. 7. Wharf 5