How To Pronounce “his”

his

function word

Strong form

Used when emphasised or contrasted.

Phonemic

/hɪz/

Phonetic

[hɪz]

e.g. I said his, not hers.

/aɪ.sedˈhɪz.nɒt.hɜːz/

Phonemic

/hɪz/

e.g. I said his, not hers.

/aɪ.sedˈhɪz.nɑːt.hɝːz/

Weak form

Used in connected speech.

Phonemic

/ɪz/

Phonetic

[ɪz]

e.g. He lost his keys.

/hi.lɒst.ɪzˈkiːz/

Phonemic

/ɪz/

e.g. He lost his keys.

/hi.lɔːst.ɪzˈkiːz/

“his” is a function word, so it has more than one pronunciation. In normal connected speech the weak form is usual. The strong form is used when the word is stressed, said on its own or at the end of a phrase.

Strong form. In British English it is /hɪz/, and in American English it is /hɪz/. It is used when emphasised or contrasted.

Weak form. In British English it is /ɪz/, and in American English it is /ɪz/. It is used in connected speech.

Slashes / / show the phonemic transcription, the sounds that change meaning. Square brackets [ ] show the phonetic transcription, with the finer detail of how the sounds are actually made.

Questions About His

How do you pronounce his in British English?

Strong form, /hɪz/. Weak form, /ɪz/.

How do you pronounce his in American English?

Strong form, /hɪz/. Weak form, /ɪz/.

What is the weak form of his?

The weak form of his is /ɪz/ in British English. It is the usual form in connected speech.

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