How to Teach H Sound: Articulation Activities, and Word Lists for Effective Speech Therapy

The “h” sound is a voiceless glottal fricative, which means that it is produced by forcing air through a narrow opening between the vocal cords (glottal) to create friction (fricative). Unlike plosive sounds like “p” and “b”, the airflow is not completely blocked during the production of this sound. To produce the “h” sound, you need to exhale a breath of air while slightly constricting the space in your throat, causing the air to create friction as it passes through. You can try producing this sound by exhaling and saying the word “help” or “hello” and paying attention to the way your throat and breath work together to create the sound. In phonetics, this sound is represented by the symbol /h/.

Initial H Words

1-syllable: hat, ham, hand, hair, hop, hot, hug, hum, hit, hen, head, heart, hill, hall, horse, hose, house, hay, home, hope, hook, half, heel, hawk, heat, hide, high

2-syllable: hammer, hamster, happy, handle, highway, hockey, honey, hotdog, hungry, hunter, hurry, hello, hippo, hundred, husband

Medial H — compound words (easiest):

doghouse, greenhouse, playhouse, treehouse, firehouse, lighthouse, household, beehive, grasshopper

Medial H — other:

ahead, behind, behave, inhale, perhaps, somehow, anyhow, unhook, unhappy, rehearse

Here are few tips you can follow to teach the “H” sound:

Demonstrate the sound: Start by demonstrating the “H” sound for your child. Explain that it is a voiceless sound made by exhaling a breath of air through an open mouth.

Visual Cue: Show the child how to exhale air through their mouth while their vocal cords remain quiet, causing a gentle sound to be produced. You can use a mirror to help the child see how their mouth and throat are positioned. You can also use a visual cue such as a picture or flashcard of an “H” to help your child remember the sound.

Understand the sound: Help your child understand that the “H” sound is made by exhaling air through an open mouth without using their voice.

Practice the breath: Have your child hold a hand or a small mirror in front of their mouth and breathe out gently with an open mouth, like fogging up a window — that warm puff of air is the “H” sound. There’s no need to blow hard or round the lips.

Practice in Isolation: Once your child has mastered the correct tongue and mouth position, have them practice making the “H” sound on its own without any other sounds.

Add Syllables: After your child has mastered the “H” sound in isolation, have them practice using it in different syllables, such as “ha,” “he,” and “ho.” You can make it more fun by having them say silly words like “hippopotamus,” “hula hoop,” and “hedgehog.”

Practice in Words: Once your child has mastered the “H” sound in syllables, have them practice using it in different words such as “hat,” “hug,” and “help.”

Practice in Phrases: After your child has mastered the “H” sound in words, have them practice using it in phrases like “happy hippo,” “huge hug,” and “helpful hands.”

Practice in Sentences: Finally, have your child practice using the “H” sound in different sentences such as “Harry has a hat,” “I need help,” and “The house is huge.”

Free H audio flashcards featuring words with the “H” sound words can be a useful tool for improving pronunciation and vocabulary.