What is a silent letter ?

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What is a silent letter?

A silent letter is the letter in words that are not pronounced but make a huge difference to the meaning and pronunciation of the whole word.

There are some rules that explain which letters are supposed to be silent, before and after certain letters (the only issue about this is that, like all English rules there are usually some exceptions!)

Silent (B)

Rule 1: The letter B is usually not pronounced after M at the end of a word.

Comb, bomb, thumb, climb, tomb, crumb, lamb

Rule 2: B is usually not pronounced before the letter T.

Doubt, doubtful, subtle, debt.

Silent (C)

Rule 1: The letter C is usually not pronounced in the combination of SC.

Scissors, ascent, fascinate, muscle.

Rule 2: C is usually mute before the letters K and Q.

Lock, block, puck, acknowledge.

Aqua, Acquit, Acquiesce.

Silent (D)

Rule 1: The letter D is silent when it appears before the letters N and G.

Wednesday, cadge, Pledge, grudge.

Rule 2: D is not pronounced in the following

Common words:

Wednesday, handsome, handkerchief, sandwich.

Silent (E)

Rule 1: If the letter E comes at the ends of words, it is generally not pronounced.

Fore, table, before, write, give, hide.

Rule 2: If E occurs before the letter D in the second and third form of the verbs, E may sometimes not to be pronounced.

Bored, fixed, smuggled, begged.