Silent Letters in English Language

Silent Letters in English Language

Here is a list of common letter combinations with silent letters.
Silent B
B is not pronounced when following M at the end of a word
climb - crumb - dumb - comb

Silent C
C is not pronounced in the ending "scle
muscle

Silent D
D is not pronounced in the following common words
handkerchief - sandwich - Wednesday

Silent E
E is not pronounced at the end of words and usually makes the long vowel
hope - drive - gave - write - site
Exceptions: he - she - be - apostrophe - catastrophe

Silent G
G is not often not pronounced when followed by an N
champagne - foreign - sign - feign

Silent GH
GH is not pronounced before T and at the end of many words
thought - through - daughter - light - right - fight - weigh

Silent H
H is not pronounced when following W. Some speakers whisper the H before the W.
what - when - where - whether - why

Silent H
H is not pronounced at the beginning of many words. Use the article "an" with unvoiced H. Here are some of the most common: hour - honest - honor - heir - herb

Pronounced H
H is pronounced at the beginning of these common words. Use the article "a" with voiced H
hill - history - height - happy - hangover

SilentK
K is not pronounced when followed by N at the beginning of a word
knife - knee - know - knock - knowledge

Silent L
L is often not pronounced before L, D, F, M, K
calm - half - salmon - talk - balk - would - should

Silent N
N is not pronounced following M at the end of a word
autumn - hymn - column

Silent P
P is not pronounced at the beginning of many words using the suffix "psych" and "pneu
psychiatrist - pneumonia - psychotherapy - psychotic

Silent S
S is not pronounced before L in the following words
island - isle

Silent T
T is not pronounced in these common words
castle - Christmas - fasten - listen - often - whistle - thistle

Silent U
U is not pronounced before after G and before a vowel
guess - guidance - guitar - guest

Silent W
W is not pronounced at the beginning of a word followed by an R

answer, sword, toward , two
/h/whole, who, whom, whose

/r/write, wrote, written , writing , wrap , wrestle, wrist
Exception: what - when - where

Silent th
asthma
...
consonant sounds at the end of a word,
middle 'th' is silent
clothes, months ,depths, lengths
Compare: clothes, clothing, cloth

Vowel Reduction

unstressed vowel + r = vowel not pronounced

pr, br
aspirin
temperature
opera
laboratory
deliberate
adjective only
separate
adjective only

fr, vr
comfortable
different
every
beverage
favorable
favorite

tr

elementary
interested
interesting

...
honorable
miserable
********

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Silent Letters in English Language P200