Th and wh are two more digraphs, letter pairs that spell one sound together instead of two. In this and with, t and h blend into a single /th/ sound. In when and whale, w and h blend into /wh/, a sound close to a plain w but with a small puff of breath in front of it. These two digraphs are easy to confuse with sh and ch, and children who have just learned those may try to read whale as if it started the same way as chip. Giving th and wh their own worksheet lets your child compare just this pair, after already practicing sh and ch separately.
This page asks your child to find words that begin with the same two letters, complete a partly hidden word with the correct two letters, find the word that has th or wh in it, and choose the right word to finish a short, true sentence. Both th and wh appear as answers, so your child has to look at the letters each time. Encourage your child to notice that many th words are small, common words like this, that, and them, while wh words often ask a question, like when and why.
What your child will learn
Hear the th and wh sounds in words
Tell th words apart from wh words
Read and spell common th and wh words
Choose a th or wh word that fits a sentence
Worked example
This begins with th: the t and h work together for one sound. When begins with wh: the w and h work together for a different sound.
Common mistake
Confusing th and wh with the sh and ch digraphs learned earlier, since all four pair a consonant with h.
Helpful hint
Say the word and notice whether it starts with the /th/ sound or the /wh/ sound.
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