SILENT LETTERS/WORDS (Group 9)

Introduction To Linguistics

Class A 2020

In an alphabetic writing system, a silent letter is a letter that, in a particular word, does not
correspond to any sound in the word's pronunciation. In linguistics, a silent letter is often symbolised
with a null sign U+2205 ∅ EMPTY SET. Null is an unpronounced or unwritten segment.

Here are some common English words with silent letters

 Silent A
1. Artistically,
2. Logically,
3. Musically,
4. Romantically,
5. Stoically.
The silent A are always putted before, “lly”.
 Silent B
1. Climb,
2. Comb,
3. Crumbs,
4. Debt,
5. Doubt,
6. Numb,
7. Subtle,
8. Thumb,
9. Tomb.
The silent B are putted at the end of words or behind, “s” and “t”.
 Silent C
1. Acquire,
2. Muscle,
3. Miscellaneous,
4. Scissors.
A bit like the ‘k’, the ‘c’ is usually a hard sound (unless followed by an ‘h’; ‘ch’ is soft, think
‘cheese’, ‘cheers’). However, when following an ‘s’ it is often silent.
 Silent D
1. Wednesday,
2. Sandwich,
3. Handsome,
4. Edge,
5. Bridge.
 The letter D is silent when it comes just before the letters N and G.
 Silent E
1. Hate
2. Name
3. Like
4. Breathe
Silent E are putted at the end
 Silent F (no words)
There's technically no English words that contains a silent F. If there's a word that contains a
silent F, then it's probably a foreign language word, not an English word.
 Silent G
1. Sign,
2. Champagne,
3. Gnaw,
4. High,
5. Light,
6. Reign,
7. Though,
8. Through
The way these words are said with silent G in it are always involve tongue in the back of the
top teeth
 Silent H
1. Honest,
2. Ghost,
3. Heir,
4. Hour,
5. What,
6. Whether.
Silent H are putted in the beginning or in the 2 nd word.
 Silent I
1. Cruise,
2. Fruit,
3. Suit.
The ‘i’ also disappears as a vowel when it appears after t - in which case the ti combination
sounds like sh or like ch (more or less) as in intention, caution, ambition and so on.
 Silent J
1. Marijuana
At this point only one English word in which the j is silent
 Silent K
1. Knead,
2. Knife,
 3. Knight,
4. Knock,
5. Knot,
6. Know
The K are in the beginning of the words.
 Silent L
1. Talk,
2. Yolk,
3. Folk,
4. Bulk,
5. Silk.
'l' is often silent before 'k'
 Silent M
1. Mneme,
2. Mnemonic,
3. Mnemic,
4. Mnememotechnically.
When 'm' is before 'n' at the beginning of a word, it is always silent.
 Silent N
1. Autumn,
2. Column,
3. Condemn,
4. Damn,
5. Hymn,
6. Solemn.
Silent N in words that end in MN.
 Silent O
1. Catholic,
2. Chocolate,
3. Corporate,
4. Comfortable
varisyllabic words ("o" is silent or it sounds /ə/)
 Silent P
1. Psalm
2. Psychology
3. Psychic
4. Psychiatry
The letter "P" becomes silent when it is placed before the letter "S"
 Silent Q (no words)
‘q’ is not silent in English words.
 Silent R (no words)
 In so-called non-rhotic pronunciations of English (which includes what are perceived as
'standard' British pronunciations), a written 'r' does not actually represent an 'r' sound when it is
syllable-final. On the other hand, the case of "iron" is simply a rare exception.
 Silent S
1. Aisle,
2. Island,
3. Debris
4. Apropos,
5. Louisville.
There are some rules with the silent S:
Firstly, if the S is followed by an L in an "SL" bond. The S is usually pronounced in the "SL"
bond.
Secondly, the S is silent in a few words like debris, viscount, apropos, Louisville, etc.
 Silent T
1. Asthma,
2. Castle,
3. Listen.
't' is often silent after 's'
 Silent U
1. Colleague,
2. Guess,
3. Guard,
4. Guide,
5. Guilt,
6. Guitar,
7. Tongue.
In fact, U is often silent if it follows G and precedes another vowel, especially E and I.
 Silent V (no words)
V is never silent in any words.
 Silent W
1. Write
2. Wrist
3. Wrong
4. Wrap
W becomes silent when placed before the letter r
 Silent X
1. faux pas
Faux pas is a word of French origin. It means a “social mistake” or “inconsiderate action in a
social situation.” Example: “Not inviting his mother-in-law to the party was a serious faux
pas.”
 Silent Y
 1. Key,
2. Mayor,
3. Pepys,
4. Prayer.
When the letter Y follows a vowel, it is often silent.
 Silent Z
1. Rendezvous
This word in the English dictionary has a silent z.