In case you are wondering, the H factor is a speech problem that is marked by the inclusion of the|hə| sound in places where it shouldn’t be. It occurs by adding a breath before words that begin with vowel sounds. So you end up pronouncing words like this: “hegg” for “egg”, “hold” for “old” and “hoil” for “oil.”
In another instance, it isn’t the addition of the |hə| sound, but the removal, so you end up pronouncing these kinds of words like this: “old” for “hold”, “ealthy” for “healthy” and “ouse” for “house”. These situations can prove embarrassing and even become a source of mockery.
The reason behind the H-factor
The |hə| sound is a consonant sound. Consonant sounds are sounds made by a partial or complete blockage of air as it passes out from the lungs and out through the mouth.
Vowel sounds are the opposite. They come out freely from the mouth. All you have to do is just open your mouth and let the vowel out.
How to overcome your H-factor
In the video below, ‘Biola Ufeli demonstrates what you need to do to get rid of the H-factor. Note that this is an exercise you need to continue practising regularly if you want to see results.
Learning to speak English is easy if you’re willing to keep practising constantly. Remember also that good practice makes perfect. So, don’t just practice, practice the right way.
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