ESA PEDIA: Silent Letters in English Words

Hi, fellas! This time, ESA FKIP Universitas Riau is pleased to present useful material to enrich your English knowledge. This time, we will discuss silent letters in English.  

In the world of language, there are many words in English that contain letters that are not pronounced when the word is read. These letters are called silent letters. Although it may seem confusing for students, understanding the patterns and rules of silent letters will help improve pronunciation and fluency in speaking.  

In this material, we will explore silent letters in English words, understand how they work, and provide tips for using them correctly.

What are Silent Letters?

Silent letters are letters in a word that are not pronounced when the word is spoken. Although these letters remain in the spelling of the word, they do not contribute to the pronunciation.  

For example, in the word "knight," the letter "k" is not pronounced, so this word is pronounced /naɪt/.  

Silent letters are often found in words that come from other languages, especially Latin, French, and German, which have influenced the development of English.

Common Patterns of Silent Letters in English

Here are some letters that are often silent letters in English along with examples:

1. Silent "K"

The letter "k" is usually not pronounced if it is at the beginning of a word before "n.".

• knight → /naɪt/  
• knee → /niː/  
• know → /noʊ/

2. Silent "B"

The letter "b" is often not pronounced if it is after "m" at the end of a word.  

• thumb → /θʌm/  
• comb → /koʊm/  
• dumb → /dʌm/  

3. Silent "H"

The letter "h" is often silent after "w" or at the beginning of some words borrowed from French.  

• whisper → /ˈwɪspər/ hour → /aʊər/  
• honest → /ˈɑːnɪst/  

4. Silent "G"

The letter "g" is often not pronounced before "n.". gnome → /noʊm/ 

• sign → /saɪn/  
• foreign → /ˈfɔːrən/  

5. Silent "P"

The letter "p" is often not pronounced at the beginning of words related to psychology or pneumonia. 

• psychology → /saɪˈkɑːlədʒi/  
• pneumonia → /nuˈmoʊniə/  
• pseudo → /ˈsuːdoʊ/  

6. Silent "T"

The letter "t" is often not pronounced in certain words.  

• castle → /ˈkæs.l̩/  
• listen → /ˈlɪs.ən/  
• fasten → /ˈfæs.ən/ 

 

1. Pay attention to patterns. Many words with silent letters follow certain patterns. For example, the letter "k" before "n" is usually not pronounced.  

2. Listen to Native Speakers By listening to native speakers pronounce words, you can understand how silent letters work in different words.  

3. Use a Dictionary with the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). A dictionary that includes phonetic transcriptions can help you recognize which letters are pronounced and which are not.  

4. Practice by Reading Aloud Try reading texts out loud to familiarize yourself with words that contain silent letters.

How to Master Silent Letters?

1. Practice with Word Lists Make a list of words with silent letters and pronounce them correctly over and over again.

 2. Compare and Contrast Compare words with silent letters to words without them to understand the pattern.  

3. Seek Feedback Use silent letters in conversations and ask for feedback from your teacher or friends to improve your pronunciation.

Silent letters may seem small and insignificant, but they play a big role in English. By understanding the patterns and rules of silent letters, you can improve your English speaking and writing skills with more confidence.  

Keep practicing!

Sources:

• Merriam - Webster dictionary 
• BBC Learning English