H causes two opposite problems. Learners whose language has no H, or a silent H, say 'ungry and 'ouse, and then hair sounds like air and hold sounds like old. Learners whose language has a strong, scratchy H in the throat make it far too heavy. In this episode: • A clear, soft h in stressed words • The h that disappears • Dropped h in stressed words: listening only • Silent h, and a or an • Listening lab: who's at the door? • Practice • Self-check questions with answers Key phrases from this episode: house (HOWS) — Come round to our house. home (HOHM) — I'm home! hot (HOT) — Careful, it's hot. happy (HAP-ee) — Happy birthday! hungry (HUNG-gree) — I'm starving! (very hungry, casual) hurry (HUR-ee) — Hurry up, we're late. behind (bi-HAIND) — It's behind the sofa. hair / air — I need to dry my hair. / Let some air in. hold / old — Hold my hand. / my old phone heat / eat — Heat the soup. / Eat your soup. tell him (TEL-im) — Tell him dinner's ready. ask her (AHSK-uh) — Ask her if she wants tea. give her (GIV-uh) — Give her a minute. what's his name? (WOT-siz NAYM) — the neighbour's son, what's his name? where's he gone? (WEH-zee GON) — Where's he gone now? has he? (HAZ-ee) — Has he finished his homework? she must have (SHEE MUST-uv) — She must have forgotten. should have (SHUUD-uv) — You should have said! I'd have (AID-uv) — I'd have helped. He's here! — H is clear at the start. Him? Really? — stressed, so the H is clear. It's HER coat, not mine. — stressed for contrast. 'ouse — house: back at the 'ouse 'appy — happy 'ospital — hospital 'ome — home hour (OW-uh) — I'll be an hour. Real British English: the complete spoken course for learners worldwide — modern British accent, everyday grammar, phrasal verbs, idioms, slang, he/she/it for things, and real conversations at home. Listen, repeat out loud, then take the 52-question quiz. Audio voiced with AI from an original script by Dr. Rashmi R Nair.