English is a particularly difficult language to master, as many people who are building English fluency will tell you. One of the most difficult aspects of it is the existence and use of silent letters.
Silent letters are letters that are used in the official spelling of a word but are not pronounced. They are a common feature, appearing in thousands of English words. This differentiates English from most other languages using the Latin alphabet, such as Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese. Some examples include common terms such as “when,” “which,” “name,” and “make.”
Read on to gain a deeper understanding of the evolution and function of silent letters and tips for using them properly.
Table of contents
- What are silent letters in English?
- Silent letter patterns
- What is the purpose of silent letters?
- Tips for learning and mastering silent letters
- Exceptions and irregularities in silent letters
- FAQ
What are silent letters in English?
Silent letters appear within a word’s written form but are not spoken out loud. Both vowels and consonants may be silent. They may also combine to create a third sound, such as the gh found in “cough,” pronounced like an f.
Nearly every letter in the alphabet may have silent features, but only half are in common usage. These are:
| Letter | Traditional use | Silent use |
| b | “bat,” “bend,” and “ballot” | “climb,” “lamb,” and “doubt” |
| c | “cat,” “couch,” and “cold” | “muscle,” “scene,” and “scent” |
| d | “dog,” “door,” and “dentist” | “edge,” “ledge,” and “bridge” |
| e | “energy,” “electric,” and “end” | “handsome,” “ate,” and “made” |
| g | “gamble,” “give,” and “gone” | “gnarl,” “align,” and “assign” |
| h | “hat,” “humble,” and “hard” | “hour,” “honest,” and “school” |
| k | “kick,” “key,” and “king” | “knack,” “knuckle,” and “knit” |
| l | “long,” “lake,” and “lack” | “salmon,” “half,” and “talk” |
| n | “none,” “nobody,” and “net” | “autumn,” “column,” and “hymn” |
| p | “palm,” “pickle,” and “punch” | “receipt,” “corp,” and “coup” |
| t | “talk,” “take,” and “trip” | “often,” “fasten,” and “bristle” |
| u | “under,” “up,” and “cupboard” | “biscuit,” “guide,” and “guest” |
| w | “with,” “wiggle,” and “wonder” | “sword,” “wrong,” and “wrap” |
Silent letter patterns
Nearly every letter in English can be silent in some context, with most uses irregular and variable. However, some patterns occur frequently enough to serve as a useful template for pronunciation. These include the following:
Silent k before n
Frequently, a silent k precedes n in words such as “knife,” “knuckle,” “knight,” “know,” and “knot.” When you speak it, the k is dropped in this situation, and only the n is pronounced. This pattern has Germanic roots and dates back to the Old English era.
Silent g before n
In another holdover from northern European languages, g tends to come before n in words such as “gnarl,” “gnaw,” “gnat,” and “gnome.” As in the above scenario, when you speak one of these words, the g is dropped, and the word is pronounced beginning with the consonant n sound.
Silent b after m
Silent letters in words of Germanic origin don’t only occur at the beginning of words. Such is the case of words that feature a b followed by an m. You can find evidence of this in words such as “climb,” “limb,” “dumb,” “comb,” and “crumb.” In these words, the m is preserved but the following consonant b sound is dropped.
Silent p in words of Greek origin
English contains many words that originate in Greek vocabulary and feature silent letters. These are often scientific terms such as “psychology,” “pneumonia,” “physical,” and “phonics.” However, the function of the silent letter is sometimes variable. For example, the p is dropped in favor of beginning the word “pneumonia” with a consonant n sound. This is also true of the s sound in “psychology.” But in words beginning with ph, the letters create a third sound, such as that found in the word “physical,” which begins with a sound identical to the consonant f.
Silent h in words of Latin origin
Finally, some words of Latin (or specifically French) origin may feature a silent h at the beginning of words. You can see this pattern in words like “honest” and “hour.” In this situation, speakers drop the initial h and begin with the vowel o instead.
Remember that the h can also be dropped in words of Germanic origin. In these instances, such as in the word “school,” the silent h yields to the preceding consonant c, creating a hard k sound.
What is the purpose of silent letters?
Silent letters exist mainly as a relic tribute to English roots. They also provide insights into the evolution of speech over time. However, they still serve important functions in modern English, both for those attempting to improve their English and those looking to study its history.
Where do silent letters come from?
Silent letters in English reflect the influence of three continental European sources: Latin, German, and French. Each language introduced words that are a hybrid of spelling and pronunciations from their roots.
Simplification of spoken language
Because English began as a blended language, society combined elements of its Romance and Germanic origins. Both sources were simplified for ease of use. Early English adopted new pronunciations for old words but kept Germanic grammar and syntax.
The need for standardization
By the 15th century, English had its own style, but silent letters weren’t a concern due to widespread illiteracy. The printing press, introduced in 1476, boosted literacy and created a need for standardized spelling. Early dictionaries were unreliable and couldn’t keep up with a rapidly changing language. In 1755, Samuel Johnson’s A Dictionary of the English Language provided a definitive guide, offering consistency in spelling and meaning.
Preserving historical meanings and roots
Samuel Johnson’s dictionary aimed to standardize English communication and culture by cataloging contemporary rather than historical spellings. His approach preserved some silent letter conventions that had become established in usage. This has the unintended effect of allowing modern speakers to trace word roots over centuries, which helps explain silent letter patterns today. Additionally, seeing similarities among words aids learners in inferring the meanings of unfamiliar terms.
Examples of evolving spelling
Here are a few examples of words that changed over the course of English development:
- Judge: From the Latin “judicare,” which means “to judge.” English kept the spelling influenced by Latin but utilized the French pronunciation, which sounded more like the word we know today.
- Court: This word entered English from the French word “cour,” which comes from the Latin “cohort,” describing an enclosed yard. Like “judge,” English combines the pronunciation from one form and the spelling from another.
- Friend: This word took its modern form from two Germanic dialects, originally “freond” and “friund.” Eventually, the pronunciation came from the first, while spelling came from a hybrid of the two.
- Water: From the early German word “watar.” At the time, Germanic languages sometimes said the letter a like we say e sounds today, with the original pronunciation sounding more like “watear.” French influence modified the pronunciation closer to its current form, but English academics kept the e as a tribute to the original.
Tips for learning and mastering silent letters
Now that you’ve learned some frequently used silent letter patterns, here are a couple of tips for using them better.
Focus on listening and pronunciation practice
For words outside the categories above, real-life practice is the best way to learn silent letters. Beginners can apply these patterns to challenging words in reading. If you’re uncertain about pronunciation, try a translation app with speech features. Those with stronger conversational skills should listen to native speakers and observe mouth shapes when enunciating. Those with more experience can practice by listening to audiobooks or audio-only podcasts.
Using mnemonics
Mnemonics can be a great tool for helping those improving their English to remember patterns of silent letters in English. Here are some examples of mnemonic devices for each of the silent letter categories:
- Silent k before n (“know,” “knee,” “knife”)
- Mnemonic: “The knight knew the knife was kneaded in the kitchen.”
- Silent g before n (“gnaw,” “gnome”)
- Mnemonic: “Gnomes gnaw on nothing.”
- Silent b after m (“climb,” “lamb”)
- Mnemonic: “Climb the lamb’s thumb.”
- Silent p in words of Greek origin (“psychology,” “pneumonia”)
- Mnemonic: “Psychologists prefer pseudonyms.”
- Silent h in words of non-English origin (“honest,” “hour”)
- Mnemonic: “An honest hour helps the heir.”
Using visual cues
There are other visual cues that those continuing their English education may want to internalize. For example, terms with a silent e at the end of words like “name” or “bake” often indicate a long vowel sound earlier in the word. Recognizing words with double consonants, such as “hassle” or “ball,” can help those seeking to improve their speech and identify when one of the letters is silent in pronunciation.
Exceptions and irregularities in silent letters
As mentioned above, silent letters are highly irregular and variable due to many factors. We’ll now examine how this affects their everyday use.
Silent letters in English dialects
Silent letters can vary by dialect, particularly between General American (GA) from the US and Received Pronunciation (RP) from the UK. While both dialects dominate media and government, their vocabulary, grammar, spelling, and pronunciation differ. Some letters silent in one dialect may be pronounced in another.
For example, GA emphasizes the rhotic r, clearly enunciated in words like “hard” and “bird.” In RP, the r is often silent; the word “car” ends in a sound like “ah.” Similarly, GA drops the h in “herb,” pronouncing it like “ərb,” while RP pronounces it as “həb.”
Words where silent letters are sometimes pronounced
In the US, regional accents fluctuate widely, with Eastern and Southern accents more similar to RP than Western and Midwestern ones. For example, New Englanders famously drop the rhotic r in “car,” pronouncing it as “cah.” Here are more examples:
- Often: Some regions drop the t (“OFF-en”), while others pronounce it (“OFF-ten”).
- Palm: The l is silent in some accents (“pahm”) but pronounced in the Midwest (“pahlm”).
- Salmon: Most drop the l (“SAM-uhn”), but some pronounce it (“SAL-muhn”), as is common in the East.
- Christmas: The t is often silent (“KRIS-mus”) but subtly pronounced in the East and Midwest.
- Mountain: Westerners drop the t (“MOWN-ehn”); others pronounce it (“MOWNT-tin”).
Exceptions to common silent letter rules
While 40% of English words featuring silent letters follow patterns, roughly 60% of words do not. Thankfully, those words are not completely irregular. Here are some prominent examples of irregular silent letter words:
- Debt: The b is silent, but it doesn’t follow the typical “silent b after m” pattern seen in words like “lamb” or “climb.”
- Subtle: The b is silent, unlike words like “able” or “table,” where the b is clearly pronounced, and it doesn’t follow the “b after m” rule.
- Island: The “s is silent, even though it’s not part of a combination (like “ps” or “st”) that would normally cause the silence.
- Aisle: The s is silent without following a pattern similar to “island,” where s could be expected to be silent.
- Muscle: The c is silent, not following the typical silent c before i pattern, as seen in “scissors” or “science.”
- Almond: In some dialects, the l is silent, unlike in similar words like “calm,” where l is only silent after a and before m.
The best way to understand these irregularities is to observe primary English speakers. Pay attention to the rate at which they deliver the syllables, their mouth shape when speaking, and the sound of the individual letters within the word. Finally, you can always ask for clarification.
FAQ
Which are the silent letters?
Nearly all letters in the English language can be used silently. The most frequently used are b, c, e, g, h, k, p, s, t, and w. The only letters that are never utilized in this way are f, q, v, x, and z.
Is there a rule for silent letters?
Silent letters are highly irregular, but 40% of words featuring silent letters fall into five distinct patterns. These are silent k before n, silent g before n, silent b after m, silent p in words of Greek origin, and silent h in words of non-English origin.
How do you know if a letter is silent?
The best way to determine whether a letter is silent is by using a pronunciation tool like Google or Dictionary.com. You can also ask Grammarly how to pronounce any word you come across.
What is the purpose of silent letters?
Silent letters do not have a definitive function in the English language. They exist as relics of the past. However, silent letters allow one to analyze a word’s origin and determine its relationship to other words.
