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?

2 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. 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 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 - - - - - . 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.

4 _____ 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.

5 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.

6 Wheeze 9 whisper Exercise 2: 1. where 2. why 3. when or whenever 4. whereas 5 . whatsoever 6. what 7. which 8. whether 9. 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