Letter H: Sounds, Words and How to Write It
H is the eighth letter of the English alphabet. It comes after G and before I. H is a consonant. The capital (uppercase) letter is H and the small (lowercase) letter is h.
How to write it · Sounds · Words · Printable sheet · Quiz · FAQ
Last updated: October 2026
Letter H at a Glance
| Position | 8th of 26 letters |
|---|---|
| Type | Consonant |
| Uppercase and lowercase | H h |
| Comes between | G and I |
| Main sounds | h, teams with other letters, silent h |
| Strokes to write it | Capital H: 3 · small h: 1 |
How to Write Capital H and Small h
Follow the numbers: start each stroke at its numbered dot and move in the direction of the arrow. The blue top line, dashed middle line and red bottom line match the lines on handwriting paper.
Capital H (3 strokes)
- Draw a straight line down on the left.
- Draw a second straight line down on the right.
- Draw a line across the middle to join them.
Small h (1 stroke)
- Draw a tall straight line from the top line down to the bottom line.
- Go back up to the middle.
- Make a hump over to the right and straight down.
Small h is a tall letter: it reaches up toward the top line, like b, d and h.
Common mix-up: Lowercase h can be confused with n. The h has a tall line on the left that reaches the top line; n is short.
Practice by tracing in the letter tracing game, then on paper with the Alphabet Tracing and Lowercase Letter Tracing worksheets.
Free Printable Letter H Tracing Sheet
Print this one-page sheet for practice at home or in class. Each row starts with a solid model letter, followed by dotted letters to trace, then empty lines to write H and h alone.
What Sound Does H Make?
- h: a soft puff of air, like fogging a mirror. Examples: hat, house, hen, hand.
- teams with other letters: h joins other letters to make new sounds. Examples: sh (ship), ch (chair), th (thumb), wh (whale).
- silent h: no sound in a few words. Examples: hour, honest, ghost.
Practice the sound with pictures on H is for Hat, which shows how to make the sound with your mouth, or match sounds on the Letter Sounds worksheet.
Words That Start With H
H is for Hat! Here are more H words:
H also appears in the middle or at the end of words: fish, ship, chair, teeth, elephant.
Interesting Facts About H
- H is very good at teaming up: sh, ch, th and wh all use H to make new sounds.
- In hour and honest, the H is silent, which is why we say "an hour" instead of "a hour".
Quick Quiz: Letter H
Answer each question, then tap it to check.
Which letter comes right before H?
G.
What sound do s and h make together, as in ship?
sh, the shushing sound.
Is the h silent in hour or in hat?
In hour.
Activities for Parents and Teachers
In the Classroom
Set out a pile of hats and let each child try one on while the class chants "H is for hat!" Then have everyone trot around the room like a horse, calling out other H words they can think of.
At Home
Hold a hand close to your child's mouth while they say "huh" — they should feel warm breath but no buzzing or vibration, unlike sounds like B or V. Afterward, trace the letter H together on paper.
Tips
Parents: Since H is just breath with no vocal sound, some kids find it easier to learn by whispering H words first before saying them at a normal volume.
Teachers: Letter H pairs well with a "house" theme — hat, house, and horse are all common classroom picture-card words.
Frequently Asked Questions
What number letter is H in the alphabet?
H is the eighth letter of the 26-letter English alphabet. It comes after G and before I.
Is H a vowel or a consonant?
H is a consonant. All letters except the vowels A, E, I, O and U are consonants (Y can be both).
What sound does the letter H make?
H makes these sounds: h as in hat; teams with other letters as in sh (ship); silent h as in hour.
How do you write a small h?
Draw a tall straight line from the top line down to the bottom line. Go back up to the middle. Make a hump over to the right and straight down. Small h is a tall letter: it reaches up toward the top line, like b, d and h.
What are some words that start with H?
Words that start with H include hat, house, horse, hen, hand, heart.
Why do we say "an hour" but "a horse"?
We use "an" before a vowel sound. The h in hour is silent, so the word starts with a vowel sound, but the h in horse is spoken.
Summary
H is the eighth letter of the alphabet and is a consonant. Its main sounds are h, teams with other letters, silent h. Capital H takes 3 strokes and small h takes 1. Next, learn the letter I.