Silent letters occur in spelling but are not pronounced (and are therefore not cued). Words with silent letters can be useful examples for demonstrating the sometimes inconsistent relationship between English spelling and its pronunciation. These words can also be valuable for introductory lessons to remind students to think beyond spelling when cueing words.

Examples

b

bomb, bomb, bombing, climb, comb, crumb, debt, doubt, dumb, lamb, lamb, limb, numb, plumber, subtle, thumb, tomb

c

fluorescent, indict, muscle, scent, science, scissors

ch

yacht

d

handkerchief

g

campaign, champagne, feign, foreign, gnash, gnaw, reign, resign, sign

gh

daughter, fight, light, might, right, sight, though, thought, through, weigh

h

exhaust, honest, ghost, heir, herb, honest, honor, hour, rhythm, rhyme,

i

business, cushion, fashion

k

knead, knee, kneel, knew, knife, knight, knock, knot, know, knowledge

l

almond, balm, calf, calm, colonel, could, embalm, folk, half, Lincoln, psalm, salmon, salve, should, solder, talk, walk, would, yolk

m

mnemonic

n

autumn, column, condemn, damn, solemn,

p

corps, cupboard, psalm, pterodactyl, psychiatry, psychology, receipt

s

apropos, bourgeois, chablis, corps, debris, Illinois, island, isle, rendez-vous

t

ballet, buffet, castle, Christmas, nestle, rustle, thistle

w

answer, sword, two, who, whose, whole, wreath, wrench, wrestle, wriggle, wrist, write, wrong

x

faux

z

rendez-vous