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Silent letters from A to Z list and examples for each letter

Silent letters English lesson

This lesson shows a small list of the silent letters from A to Z and is designed to use as a guide to help you pronounce words.

What is the definition of a silent letter?

A silent letter is left unpronounced, such as the d in handkerchief, the n in autumn and the p in cupboard. When talking fast, silent words like t are very lightly pronounced in words like Christmas, mountain and little.

Are there a lot of silent words in the English language?

Sadly yes. It is rumoured that as much as 60% of words in the English language have a silent letter in them. This makes spelling a lot more difficult for learners and even some native speakers.

Silent letters from A to Z

A - artistically, logically, musically, romantically, stoically

B - comb, climb, debt, plumber, tomb, subtle, dumb, bomb, doubt, , numb, subpoena, thumb, womb.

C - acquire, acquit, blackguard, connecticut, czar, muscle, scissors, victual

CH - yacht

D - handkerchief, Wednesday Wednesday (commonly said Wens-day)

E - plaque. veqetable (veg'tab'I), bridge, clothes. When on the end of a word, it changes the pronunciation of the word, but the -e is silent.

F - halfpenny

G - align, alight, champagne, diaphragm, gnash, gnaw, high, light,reign, though

GH - right, drought, eight, weigh, etc.

H - choir, exchast, hour, honour, honest, herb, rhyme, rhythm, thyme, Thailand

I - business, parliament

J - NONE

K - blackguard.

KN -words, the k is silent: know, knot, knee, knife, knight, knock.

L - calm, folk, salmon, talk, walk, could, should, would, folk, half, calf.

M - mnemonic.

N - autumn, chimney, column, damn, damn, government, solemn.

O- colonel, sophomore, opossum

P - corps, coup, cupboard, pneumonia, psalm, raspberry, receipt, coup

Q - (NONE)

R - butter, finger, surprise

S - aisle, island, debris, isle, patios, viscount.

T - beret, Chevrolet, depot, listen, whistle, wrestle, trestle, mortgage, apostle

(When talking fast, the t is very lightly pronounced in words like Christmas, mountain and little)

TH - asthma, isthmus, north, Easter

W - who, whole, write, wrong, two, sword, wrist, answer

X - faux

Y - (NONE)

Z - rendezvous

9 - sign, gnat, gnu, foreign

Silent letters can be heard depending on a persons accent.

Do you know any more silent words?

If you know some more silent words send us a message and we will add them to the list and give you a special mention on this page as a thank you.

Click on this link to send us your silent letters

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