High? — Choose the option that has the same consonant sound as the one represented by the underlined letters

Analyze the question

The word "High" has the underlined letter(s) presumably "H" (the initial consonant). We need the word whose underlined letter represents the same sound, /h/. The underlined parts in the options aren't shown, so I'll check which options have an /h/ sound.

Concept

The letter "h" can be pronounced or silent:

• Pronounced /h/: high, hat, who, behind, vehicle (in some pronunciations)
• Silent: honest, hour, heir, vehicle (in the standard pronunciation)

Checking each option

• A. what is pronounced /wɒt/. The "wh" gives /w/, not /h/.
• B. honest is pronounced /ˈɒnɪst/. The "h" is silent.
• C. who is pronounced /huː/. The "wh" gives /h/, the same sound as the "h" in "high" /haɪ/.
• D. vehicle is pronounced /ˈviːəkl/ in standard British English, where the "h" is silent. Some speakers do say /ˈviːhɪkl/, but the standard form is the one examiners accept.

Answer

The word with the /h/ sound is who, so the answer is C.

Tip

In words starting with "wh", the sound is usually /w/ (what, when, where, why). The exception is when "wh" is followed by "o": who, whom, whose, whole, which all take /h/. For silent "h", remember the common ones: honest, hour, heir, honour.