RP 1: PRONUNCIATION

Silent Letters in the English Language

Silent B

Silent C

When following M and

B at the end of a
word.

In the ending "-scle"

Lamb /lm/

Muscle /'msl/

Silent D

Silent E

Silent G

At the end of words and

usually makes the
preceding vowel long

Often when followed by an

N

Edge /ed/

Love /lv/

Champagne/m'pen/

Thumb /m/

Hedge /hed/

Hope /hp/

Foreign /'f:rn

Numb /nm/

Wednesday/'wenzde/

Hate /het/

Sign /san/

Crumb /krm/

Handsome /'hnsm/

Like /lak/

Sigh /sa/

Bomb /b:m/

Badge /bd/

Site /sat/

Feign /fen/

Comb /km/

Wedge /wed/

Write /rat/

Resign /r'zan/

Plumber /'plmr/

Sandwich /'snwt /

Gave /gev/

Design /d'zan/

Limb /lm/

Drive /drav/

Gnome /nm/

Tomb /tu:m/

Make /mek/

Debt /det/
Doubt /dat/

Silent GH

Silent H

Silent K

Silent T

Silent U

Before T and at the

end of many words

When following W
and at the
beginning of many
words

When followed by N at
the beginning of a word

Thought /:t/

What, When,
Why...
Whether

Knife /naf/

Fatsen /'fsn/

Guest /gest/

Knee /ni:/

Castle /'ksl/

Guess /ges/

/'we(r)/

Know /n/

Listen /'lsn/

Guitar /g't:r /

Fight /fat/

Ghost /gst/

Knock /nk/

Christmas/'krsms/

Guard /g:rd /

Light /lat/

Honest /':nst /

Knot /nt/

Mortgage/'m:rgd/

Building /'bld/

Daughter/'d:tr /

Hour /ar /

Knob /nb/

Soften /'s:fn/

Guilty /'glti/

Through /ru:/

While /wal/

Knickers /'nkrz/

Often /':fn/

Rogue /rg/

Weigh /we/

White /wat/

Knuckle /'nkl/

Whistle /'wsl/

Vogue /vg/

Weight /wet/

Rhythm /'rm/

Knight /nat/

Thistle /'sl/

Biscuit /'bskt/

Honor /'nr/

Knack /nk/

Tongue /t/

Heir /er/

Knew /nu:/ /nju:/

Guidance /'gadns/

Might /mat/
Right /rat/

After G and before a vowel

and some other cases

Disguise /ds'gaz/

Herb* /:rb/

Silent W

Silent S

Silent N

Silent P

Silent L

At the beginning of a
word followed by an R
and with these three
pronouns

Before L in the
following words

Following M at the end of

a word

At the beginning of many

words using the suffix
"Psych" and "Pneu"

L is often not pronounced

before D, F, M, K.

Wrap /rp/

Island /'alnd/

Autumn /':tm/

Psychiatrist/s'katrst/

Talk /t:k/

Wrong /r:/

Isle /al/

Hymn /hm/

Pseudo /'su:d /

Walk /w:k/

Wrist /rst/

Aisle /al/

Damn /dm/

Psychology/sa'k:ldi/

Calm /k:m/

Pseudonym /'su:dnm/

Half /hf /

Pneumonia /n'mnj/

Would /wd/

Psychotic /sa'k:tk /

Could /kd/

Write /rat/
Who /hu:/
Whose /hu:z/
Whom /hu:m/
Sword /s:rd/

Preparatory for the TOEFL - 2014

Column /'k:lm/

Should /d/