h sound

Rule Core

The letter h represents the voiceless glottal fricative /h/. It is produced by airflow through an open glottis without vocal cord vibration. The sound depends heavily on the following vowel rather than tongue contact.

Articulation Guide

Relax the throat, open the glottis, and let air pass freely. The mouth shape anticipates the next vowel. Think of a soft exhalation before voicing the vowel.

Word Analysis

have /hæv/: release a brief burst of air for /h/, move quickly into the short vowel /æ/, and finish with the voiced fricative /v/. Omitting /h/ can reduce clarity or change perception.

Pitfalls

Silent h occurs in words like hour and honest. In wh, /h/ is usually not pronounced in modern accents (what). gh is typically silent (night). Function words may weaken in fast speech, but full /h/ is recommended for learners.