Phonics word list
Wh words
In short
Wh is a consonant digraph that says /w/ in most American speech, as in when, white and wheel. In who, whom and whose it says /h/. Our checked list has 107 words with wh.
At a glance
- Words in our list
- 107
- By syllables
- one syllable: 48 · two syllables: 45 · three or more syllables: 14
- By position
- initial: 92 · medial: 15 · final: 0
- Taught in
- Lesson 50 in the sequence
One spelling, more than one sound
Most lists mix these up. We count each sound separately, so a student practicing one sound only sees words that make it.
| Sound | Example | Words | List |
|---|---|---|---|
| /w/ | why | 97 | This page |
| /h/ | who | 10 | This page |
Wh words, most common first
Spelling units show how each word breaks into the letters that spell one sound; a_e is a vowel and silent e working together. Readable after is the first lesson where a student can sound out the whole word.
One syllable
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Sound | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| who | wh·o | 1 | /h/ | Lesson 28 (heart word) |
| why | wh·y | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 73 |
| what | wh·a·t | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 20 (heart word) |
| when | wh·e·n | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 50 |
| whom | wh·o·m | 1 | /h/ | Not in the sequence |
| wheel | wh·ee·l | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 85 |
| where | wh·e·r·e | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 24 (heart word) |
| which | wh·i·ch | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 50 |
| while | wh·i_e·l | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 55 |
| white | wh·i_e·t | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 55 |
| whole | wh·o_e·l | 1 | /h/ | Not in the sequence |
| whose | wh·o·s·e | 1 | /h/ | Not in the sequence |
| wheels | wh·ee·l·s | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 85 |
| whilst | wh·i·l·s·t | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 68 |
| whim | wh·i·m | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 50 |
| whale | wh·a_e·l | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 54 |
| whoop | wh·oo·p | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 90 |
| whales | wh·a_e·l·s | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 54 |
| whence | wh·e·n·c·e | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 60 |
| whites | wh·i_e·t·s | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 55 |
| whoops | wh·oo·p·s | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 90 |
| whet | wh·e·t | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 50 |
| whew | wh·ew | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 91 |
| whip | wh·i·p | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 50 |
| whoa | wh·oa | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 86 |
| whys | wh·y·s | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 73 |
| whack | wh·a·ck | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 50 |
| wharf | wh·a·r·f | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 93 |
| whats | wh·a·t·s | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 20 |
| wheat | wh·ea·t | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 85 |
| whiff | wh·i·ff | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 50 |
| whims | wh·i·m·s | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 50 |
| whine | wh·i_e·n | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 55 |
| whips | wh·i·p·s | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 50 |
| whirl | wh·ir·l | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 81 |
| whisk | wh·i·s·k | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 50 |
| whacks | wh·a·ck·s | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 50 |
| wheeze | wh·ee·z·e | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 85 |
| whiles | wh·i_e·l·s | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 55 |
| whines | wh·i_e·n·s | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 55 |
| whisks | wh·i·s·k·s | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 50 |
| wholes | wh·o_e·l·s | 1 | /h/ | Not in the sequence |
| whacked | wh·a·ck·ed | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 64 |
| wheeled | wh·ee·l·ed | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 85 |
| whipped | wh·i·pp·ed | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 107 |
| whirled | wh·ir·l·ed | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 81 |
| whisked | wh·i·s·k·ed | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 64 |
| whooped | wh·oo·p·ed | 1 | /w/ | Lesson 90 |
Two syllables
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Sound | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| nowhere | n·o·wh·e·r·e | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 67a |
| whereas | wh·e·r·e·a·s | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 67a |
| whereby | wh·e·r·e·b·y | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 67a |
| whether | wh·e·th·er | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 80 |
| somewhat | s·o·m·e·wh·a·t | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 67a |
| elsewhere | e·l·s·e·wh·e·r·e | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 67a |
| somewhere | s·o·m·e·wh·e·r·e | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 67a |
| worthwhile | w·or·th·wh·i_e·l | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 82 |
| wholly | wh·o·ll·y | 2 | /h/ | Not in the sequence |
| whistle | wh·i·s·t·le | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 118 |
| whistles | wh·i·s·t·le·s | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 118 |
| meanwhile | m·ea·n·wh·i_e·l | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 85 |
| whaler | wh·a·l·er | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 80 |
| whiter | wh·i·t·er | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 80 |
| whalers | wh·a·l·er·s | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 80 |
| whaling | wh·a·l·i·ng | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 109 |
| wheezes | wh·ee·z·e·s | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 85 |
| wherein | wh·e·r·e·i·n | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 67a |
| whetted | wh·e·tt·ed | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 107 |
| whimper | wh·i·m·p·er | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 80 |
| whining | wh·i·n·i·ng | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 109 |
| whisker | wh·i·s·k·er | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 80 |
| whitest | wh·i·t·e·s·t | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 68 |
| whacking | wh·a·ck·i·ng | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 65 |
| wheeling | wh·ee·l·i·ng | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 85 |
| wheezing | wh·ee·z·i·ng | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 109 |
| whipping | wh·i·pp·i·ng | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 107 |
| whirling | wh·ir·l·i·ng | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 81 |
| whiskers | wh·i·s·k·er·s | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 80 |
| whistled | wh·i·s·t·le·d | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 118 |
| whooping | wh·oo·p·i·ng | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 90 |
| cartwheel | c·ar·t·wh·ee·l | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 85 |
| whirlpool | wh·ir·l·p·oo·l | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 90 |
| whirlwind | wh·ir·l·w·i·n·d | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 81 |
| whiskered | wh·i·s·k·er·ed | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 80 |
| whiteness | wh·i_e·t·n·e·ss | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 67b |
| whitewash | wh·i_e·t·w·a·sh | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 94 |
| wholesale | wh·o_e·l·s·a_e·l | 2 | /h/ | Not in the sequence |
| wholesome | wh·o_e·l·s·o·m·e | 2 | /h/ | Not in the sequence |
| cartwheels | c·ar·t·wh·ee·l·s | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 85 |
| wheelchair | wh·ee·l·ch·air | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 112 |
| whirlpools | wh·ir·l·p·oo·l·s | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 90 |
| wholesales | wh·o_e·l·s·a_e·l·s | 2 | /h/ | Not in the sequence |
| wheelchairs | wh·ee·l·ch·air·s | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 112 |
| whitewashed | wh·i_e·t·w·a·sh·ed | 2 | /w/ | Lesson 94 |
Three or more syllables
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Sound | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| whoever | wh·o·e·v·er | 3 | /h/ | Lesson 80 |
| anywhere | a·n·y·wh·e·r·e | 3 | /w/ | Lesson 67a |
| whatever | wh·a·t·e·v·er | 3 | /w/ | Lesson 80 |
| whenever | wh·e·n·e·v·er | 3 | /w/ | Lesson 80 |
| wherever | wh·e·r·e·v·er | 3 | /w/ | Lesson 80 |
| everywhere | e·v·e·r·y·wh·e·r·e | 3 | /w/ | Lesson 74 |
| whatsoever | wh·a·t·s·o·e·v·er | 4 | /w/ | Not in the sequence |
| overwhelm | o·v·er·wh·e·l·m | 3 | /w/ | Lesson 80 |
| whereupon | wh·e·r·e·u·p·o·n | 3 | /w/ | Lesson 67a |
| whichever | wh·i·ch·e·v·er | 3 | /w/ | Lesson 80 |
| overwhelms | o·v·er·wh·e·l·m·s | 3 | /w/ | Lesson 80 |
| overwhelmed | o·v·er·wh·e·l·m·ed | 3 | /w/ | Lesson 80 |
| overwhelming | o·v·er·wh·e·l·m·i·ng | 4 | /w/ | Lesson 80 |
| overwhelmingly | o·v·er·wh·e·l·m·i·ng·l·y | 5 | /w/ | Lesson 80 |
When do these words become readable?
The lessons where the most words on this page become decodable. Words marked not in the sequence have a spelling the sequence never teaches as a pattern.
| Readable after | Words |
|---|---|
| Lesson 50 | 12 |
| Lesson 55 | 6 |
| Lesson 67a | 9 |
| Lesson 80 | 18 |
| Lesson 81 | 4 |
| Lesson 85 | 10 |
| Lesson 90 | 6 |
| Lesson 118 | 3 |
| Not in the sequence | 11 |
How do you teach wh words?
Students learn wh as the question letters: what, when, where, which, why. "These two are partners. W and h together say /w/ in most question words." Some teachers blow on a hand to show the old breathy sound, but most American speakers just say /w/, so don't insist on it. The hard part is spelling: nothing tells you to write wh instead of w. Group the words by meaning (question words, then whale, wheel, whisper).
What mistake do students make with wh words?
In spelling, students write w for wh (wen for when). In reading, they sometimes try /h/ /w/. Make a short anchor chart of question words and have the student check it before writing. The who family is the exception; teach who, whom and whose as heart words.
Where do wh words come in the sequence?
Wh is usually taught after sh, th and ch, often in the same lesson as ph, since both are less common spellings of familiar sounds. In the sequence we use, the pattern is taught in Lesson 50.
Exceptions worth knowing
Who, whom, whose and whole start with /h/. Where and were look alike but are different words. Words like somewhat and nowhere have wh in the middle because they are compounds.
Decodable sentences
Every word in these sentences can be read at Lesson 50 or earlier, or is a heart word taught by then.
- When can we get the fish?
- Which dish is red?
- The whip is on the shelf.
Questions people ask
What are 5 wh words?
What sound does wh make?
What are the wh question words?
When can a student read wh words?
How this list was built
Every word comes from our lexicon of common English words, each split into spelling units and checked against a pronouncing dictionary, so a word is listed under the sound its spelling really makes. Words a student sees in our assessments are left out. The readable after lesson comes from our decodability engine, which checks each spelling unit and syllable pattern against the lesson sequence. You can run your own text through the same engine with the free decodable text checker.