Silent Letters in Words
Spell words containing silent letters that are remnants of earlier pronunciation or etymology, recognising common silent-letter patterns and using word origins to remember them
What a learner can do afterwards
- Identify and spell words with silent initial consonants: knight, know, write, wrap, gnaw, psalm, applying knowledge that these letters were once pronounced
- Spell words with silent internal letters: doubt (b), island (s), muscle (c), solemn (n), using etymological connections to aid memory (e.g. doubt from Latin dubitare)
- Use word families and etymology to remember silent letters, e.g. sign is related to signal where the g is pronounced
The lesson
Some letters in English words make no sound at all. You cannot hear them when you say the word, but you still have to write them. Long ago, people pronounced every letter. Over time the way we say the word changed, but the spelling stayed the same.
Ben writes, "I doubt it." He remembers the silent b because doubt comes from the Latin word dubitare, which has a clear b sound.
Some silent letters hide inside a word, not just at the start. Island has a silent s, muscle has a silent c, and solemn has a silent n. Word history explains why these letters are there, even when you do not say them.
When you are not sure about a silent letter, think of a related word that says it out loud, like signal for sign. That connection helps the spelling stick in your memory.
Silent letters do not make a sound, but they still belong in the spelling, so always write them.
Watch it
Where it sits
Learn first
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8 questions wait behind this lesson, each with its answer explained. Every answer feeds the sky: stars light as they are learned, and dim when it is time to come back.