What sound does the letter combination 'wh' typically represent?

The letter combination 'wh' typically represents an unvoiced consonant sound, which is produced without vibration of the vocal cords. In words like "whisper" and "whale," the 'wh' sound is made by forcing air through a narrow passage formed by the lips and the back of the throat, producing a sound similar to 'h' followed by a 'w.'

This understanding aligns with the phonetic structure of the English language, where certain letter combinations can produce distinct sounds that don't correspond directly to how they are written. The unvoiced nature of the 'wh' sound distinguishes it from voiced sounds, where vocal cords do vibrate. Understanding that 'wh' is unvoiced helps in accurately teaching pronunciation and sound recognition within the Multi-Sensory Structured Language Education framework.