silent letters

Silent Letters

A silent letter is a letter that is not pronounced, but it is written in a word.

Rules of making letters silent

Here are the simple tips to remember silent letters
  • B is often silent after M (mb) and before T (bt): bomb, debt
  • C is silent after S (sc): muscle, scene
  • E is silent at the end of the words: name; hope
  • G is often silent before N (gn): gnarled, foreign
  • H is silent after W (wh): what, when
  • K is often silent before N (kn): knife, know
  • L is often silent before M, F, K, D, (lm, lf, lk, ld): calm, half, yolk, could
  • N is often silent after M (mn): autumn, column
  • P is silent in the suffix “psych”: psychology
  • T is often silent after S (st), and at the end of the words of French origin: castle, hasten
  • U is silent before I (uI) and E (ue): guilty, guess
  • W is often silent before R (wr) and H (wh): wrong , where is the list of words with silent letters


✴B: bomb – climb – crumb –lamb – limb – comb –numb – plumb – thumb – tomb – womb – debt – doubt;
✴C: ascent – fascinate – muscle – scene – scissors – crescent – descent – scenario – scent;
Ch: yacht;
✴D: handkerchief – handsome – Wednesday – sandwich;
✴G: – gnash – gnat – gnaw – gnome – align – campaign – gnarled – design – foreign – malign – reign – sign – assign;
✴H: haute cuisine – heir – honour – hour – ghost – what – when – where – why – while – whether –white – rhythm;
✴K: knack – knee – kneel – knife – knight – knit – knob – knot – know – knuckle;
✴L: balm – calm – calf – half – yolk – palm – psalm – chalk – talk – walk – could – should – would – colonel – almond – salmon;
✴N: autumn – column – condemn – damn – hymn – solemn;
✴P: psalm – psephology – psychic – ptarmigan – pterodactyl – psychology – receipt – corps – coup;
✴S: aisle – island – debris – Illinois
✴T: bristle – fasten – listen – mortgage – soften – thistle – wrestle – castle – hustle – chestnut – ballet –buffet – chalet – crochet – valet – debut – beret;
✴U: biscuit – build – circuit – disguise – guilty – league – rogue – vague – guess – guest – guide – guitar-antique – cheque;
✴W: wrangle – wrap – wreath – wreck – wrench – wrestle – wriggle – wring – write – wrong – answer – sword – towards – two – whole – who – whom – whose