Free printable · digraphs

wh words for kids

Wh is a digraph found at the start of words. In most American and British accents today it sounds just like w, so when and wen sound the same.

This page has 23 wh words in 3 groups: wh with a short vowel, wh with other vowel sounds, and longer wh words. Many question words start with wh, which is why children meet it early.

wh with a short vowel

  • wham
  • whack
  • when
  • which
  • whiff
  • whim
  • whip
  • whisk
  • whiz

wh with other vowel sounds

  • whale
  • what
  • wheat
  • wheel
  • where
  • while
  • whine
  • white
  • whirl
  • why

Longer wh words

  • whirlwind
  • whiskers
  • whisper
  • whistle

How to use this list

  1. Start with the short vowel words, which your child can sound out fully. The second group has vowel patterns they may not know yet; read those together.
  2. Keep sessions short: a few minutes a day beats one long session a week.
  3. Ask your child to say each sound and then blend them into the word. If they guess from the first letter, cover the word and go sound by sound again.
  4. Print the flashcards, mix them up, and read them out of order once the list feels easy, so your child is reading the word and not remembering the list.

Frequently asked questions

Why do who and whole sound different?

In who and whole the wh says /h/, not /w/. They are exceptions, so they are not on this list; teach them as sight words.

How do I explain wh if it sounds like w?

Tell your child that w and wh make the same sound, and the h is part of how the word is spelled. Question words such as what, when, where and why are the ones to know first.

Is what a phonics word or a sight word?

What starts with the wh sound, but its a does not say /a/ as in cat, so most programs teach it as a sight word too.

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