Silent Letter.

WHAT ARE 'SILENT LETTERS'?

A silent letter is a letter that appears in a particular word, but does not correspond to any sound in the word's pronunciation.

Silent B•B is not pronounced after M at the end of a word.•climb  /klaım/ •crumb /krʌm/ •dumb /dʌm/ •comb /kəʊm/

Silent C C is not pronounced

in the combination SC.•muscle /`mʌzl/

ascent /`æksənt/

Silent DThe D is not pronounced

when preceded or followed by N in the same syllable.•handkerchief/`hænkərʧı:f/•Wednesday/`wenzdeı/ • sandwich /ˈsænwɪdʒ/

•grandmother/ˈɡrænmʌðə/

Silent Eis not pronounced at the

end of words, but instead elongates the

sound of the vowel before it

• drive /draıv/• gave /geıv/• write /ˈraɪt/• site /saɪt/

•SILENT G• The G is not

pronounced when followed by an N.

•foreign /`forən/

•sign /saɪn/•feign /feɪn/

•SILENT GHIs not pronounced

when it comes after a vowel.

• thought /ɵot/• through /ɵru:/• light /laɪt/•might /maɪt/

The H is generally not pronounced

when preceded by the W.

where /weə/whether /ˈweðə/

why /waɪ/

•Silent K• Is not pronounced when it is

followed by N and at the beginning of a word.

• knife /naıf/• knee /nı:/• know /nəʊ/• knock /nɒk/

Why do not we pronounce these letters in English?

These omissions have a motive and a cause• Distinguish very similar words - whole of hole, plumb

plum, hour of our, etc.• To differentiate vowels with short vowel sounds with

long sounds - rid / ride (when the word ends with a 'e' mute, the previous vowel sounds as in the alphabet and is long / rid / - / raid /)

• To differentiate soft consonants from hard ones - guest / gest (/ gest / - / ʤest /)

• To connect different forms of the same root - resign / resignation