English is known for its rich vocabulary and sometimes tricky spelling rules. One common challenge for learners is dealing with silent letters – those that appear in writing but are not pronounced when spoken. This differentiates English from other languages using the Latin alphabet, such as Spanish. In this post, we will take a closer look at some of the most common English words that include silent letters.
What Are Silent Letters?
Silent letters are letters that are written but not spoken. They may appear at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of words, and often reflect the word’s etymology – its journey through languages such as Old English, French, Latin, or Greek. Though they can be tricky for learners, silent letters help preserve the rich history and development of the English language. Gaining a good understanding of silent letters is key to improving your pronunciation, spelling, and overall fluency.
Common Examples of Silent Letters
Here is a list of common words with silent letters from A to Z, arranged alphabetically with pronunciation in square brackets
|
SILENT LETTER |
WORDS CONTAINING SILENT LETTERS |
| A | auxiliary [ɔːɡˈzɪljəri], basically [ˈbeɪsɪkli], bread [brɛd], captain [ˈkæptɪn], certain [ˈsɜːrtən], critically [ˈkrɪtɪkli], curtain [ˈkɜːrtən], dead [dɛd], dread [drɛd], dramatically [drəˈmætɪkli], head [hɛd], instead [ɪnˈstɛd], lead [lɛd], logically [ˈlɒdʒɪkli], magically [ˈmædʒɪkli], meant [mɛnt], mountain [ˈmaʊntən], practically [ˈpræktɪkli], pleasant [ˈplɛzənt], physically [ˈfɪzɪkli], radically [ˈrædɪkli], realistically [ˌriːəˈlɪstɪkli], salmon [ˈsæmən], theoretically [ˌθɪəˈrɛtɪkli], thread [θrɛd], typically [ˈtɪpɪkli], spread [sprɛd], villain [ˈvɪlən], tragically [ˈtrædʒɪkli] |
| B | aplomb [əˈplɒm], bomb [bɒm], bouquet [buˈkeɪ], climb [klaɪm], comb [koʊm], crumb [krʌm], crumbly [ˈkrʌmbli], debt [dɛt], debtor [ˈdɛtər], debtors [ˈdɛtərz], doubt [daʊt], dumb [dʌm], jamb [dʒæm], lamb [læm], limb [lɪm], plumber [ˈplʌmər], plumb [plʌm], subtle [ˈsʌtəl], succumb [səˈkʌm], thumb [θʌm], tomb [tuːm], womb [wuːm] |
| C | abscess [ˈæbses], ascend [əˈsend], ascent [əˈsent], biscuit [ˈbɪskɪt], crescent [ˈkrɛsənt], descend [dɪˈsend], descent [dɪˈsent], disciple [dɪˈsaɪpəl], fascinate [ˈfæsɪneɪt], fluorescent [ˌflʊəˈrɛsənt], luminescent [ˌluːmɪˈnɛsənt], miscellaneous [ˌmɪsəˈleɪniəs], muscle [ˈmʌsəl], obscene [əbˈsiːn], scenario [sɪˈnɑːrioʊ], scene [siːn], scent [sent], science [ˈsaɪəns], scissors [ˈsɪzərz], sclerosis [sklɪəˈroʊsɪs], succinct [səkˈsɪŋkt], vacuum [ˈvækjuːm] |
| D | handful [ˈhændfʊl], handkerchief [ˈhæŋkərtʃɪf], handsome [ˈhæŋsəm], Wednesday [ˈwenzdeɪ], sandwich [ˈsænwɪdʒ], edge [ɛdʒ], badge [bædʒ], bridge [brɪdʒ], knowledge [ˈnɒlɪdʒ], pledge [plɛdʒ] |
| E | alone [əˈloʊn], age [eɪdʒ], bake [beɪk], breathe [briːð], cake [keɪk], close [kloʊz], cure [kjʊər], drive [draɪv], give [ɡɪv], home [hoʊm], large [lɑːrdʒ], live [lɪv], love [lʌv], move [muːv], nice [naɪs], race [reɪs], ride [raɪd], rise [raɪz], rule [ruːl], size [saɪz], smile [smaɪl], some [sʌm], stove [stoʊv], time [taɪm], use [juːz] (verb), write [raɪt] |
| G | align [əˈlaɪn], assign [əˈsaɪn], benign [bɪˈnaɪn], campaign [kæmˈpeɪn], champagne [ʃæmˈpeɪn], cologne [kəˈloʊn], consign [kənˈsaɪn], deign [deɪn], design [dɪˈzaɪn], feign [feɪn], foreign [ˈfɒrɪn], gnat [næt], gnash [næʃ], gnarl [nɑːrl], gnaw [nɔː], gnome [noʊm], gnu [nuː], high [haɪ], light [laɪt], reign [reɪn], resign [rɪˈzaɪn], sign [saɪn], though [ðoʊ], through [θruː] |
| H | ache [eɪk], anchor [ˈæŋkər], chaos [ˈkeɪɒs], character [ˈkærəktər], chemical [ˈkɛmɪkəl], chemist [ˈkɛmɪst], choir [kwaɪər], chord [kɔːrd], chorus [ˈkɔːrəs], Christian [ˈkrɪstʃən], Christmas [ˈkrɪsməs], chrome [kroʊm], echo [ˈɛkoʊ], ghost [ɡoʊst], heir [ɛər], honest [ˈɒnɪst], honour [ˈɒnər], hour [aʊər], mechanic [məˈkænɪk], psychology [saɪˈkɒlədʒi], rhyme [raɪm], rhythm [ˈrɪðəm], scheme [skiːm], school [skuːl], stomach [ˈstʌmək], technical [ˈtɛknɪkəl], technique [tɛkˈniːk], thyme [taɪm] |
| I | business [ˈbɪznɪs], cousin [ˈkʌzən], conscience [ˈkɒnʃəns] |
| J | marijuana [ˌmærɪˈwɑːnə], hajj [hɑːdʒ] |
| K | knee [niː], kneel [niːl], knew [njuː], knife [naɪf], knight [naɪt], knit [nɪt], knock [nɒk], knot [nɒt], know [nəʊ], knowledge [ˈnɒlɪdʒ], knuckle [ˈnʌkəl] |
| L | almond [ˈɑːmənd], balk [bɔːk], balm [bɑːm], calf [kɑːf], calm [kɑːm], chalk [tʃɔːk], could [kʊd], folk [fəʊk], half [hɑːf], palm [pɑːm], psalm [sɑːm], salmon [ˈsæmən], should [ʃʊd], talk [tɔːk], walk [wɔːk], would [wʊd], yolk [joʊk] |
| M | mnemonic [nɪˈmɒnɪk] |
| N | autumn [ˈɔːtəm], column [ˈkɒləm], condemn [kənˈdɛm], damn [dæm], hymn [hɪm], solemn [ˈsɒləm] |
| O | choir [ˈkwaɪər], colonel [ˈkɜːnəl], jeopardy [ˈdʒepərdi], leopard [ˈlepərd], people [ˈpiːpəl] |
| P | coup [kuː], pneumatic [njuːˈmætɪk], pneumonia [njuːˈməʊniə], psalm [sɑːm], pseudo [ˈsuːdəʊ], psyche [ˈsaɪki], psychiatrist [saɪˈkaɪətrɪst], psychiatry [saɪˈkaɪətri], psychotherapy [ˌsaɪkəʊˈθerəpi], psychotic [saɪˈkɒtɪk], receipt [rɪˈsiːt] |
| Q | lacquer [ˈlækər] |
| R | iron [ˈaɪən] |
| S | aisle [aɪl], apropos [ˌæprəˈpoʊ], bourgeois [ˈbʊəʒwɑː], debris [ˈdebri], fracas [ˈfrækɑː], island [ˈaɪlənd], isle [aɪl], viscount [ˈvaɪkaʊnt] |
| T | apostle [əˈpɒsəl], ballet [bæˈleɪ], bristle [ˈbrɪsəl], buffet [ˈbʊfeɪ] / [ˈbʌfɪt], bustle [ˈbʌsəl], castle [ˈkɑːsəl], Christmas [ˈkrɪsməs], fasten [ˈfɑːsən], glisten [ˈɡlɪsən], hustle [ˈhʌsəl], jostle [ˈdʒɒsəl], listen [ˈlɪsən], moisten [ˈmɔɪsən], mortgage [ˈmɔːɡɪdʒ], nestle [ˈnesəl], rapport [ræˈpɔː], ricochet [ˈrɪkəʃeɪ], rustle [ˈrʌsəl], soften [ˈsɒfən], thistle [ˈθɪsəl], trestle [ˈtresəl], whistle [ˈwɪsəl], wrestle [ˈresəl] |
| U | baguette [ˌbæˈget], biscuit [ˈbɪskɪt], build [bɪld], building [ˈbɪldɪŋ], catalogue [ˈkætəlɒɡ], colleague [ˈkɒliːɡ], dialogue [ˈdaɪəlɒɡ], circuit [ˈsɜːkɪt], disguise [dɪsˈɡaɪz], guard [ɡɑːrd], guess [ɡes], guest [ɡest], guide [ɡaɪd], guild [ɡɪld], guile [ɡaɪl], guillotine [ˈɡɪlətiːn], guilt [ɡɪlt], guise [ɡaɪz], guitar [ɡɪˈtɑːr], rogue [roʊɡ], tongue [tʌŋ] |
| W | answer [ˈæn.sər], awry [əˈraɪ], playwright [ˈpleɪraɪt], sword [sɔːrd], two [tuː], whole [hoʊl], wrack [ræk], wrangle [ˈræŋɡəl], wrap [ræp], wrath [ræθ], wreath [riːθ], wreck [rɛk], wren [rɛn], wrench [rɛntʃ], wrestle [ˈrɛsəl], wretch [rɛtʃ], wriggle [ˈrɪɡəl], wring [rɪŋ], wrinkle [ˈrɪŋkəl], wrist [rɪst], write [raɪt], writhe [raɪð], wrong [rɒŋ], wrote [roʊt], wrought [rɔːt], wrung [rʌŋ], wry [raɪ] |
| X | faux [foʊ] |
| Z | laissez-faire [ˌleɪseɪˈfeər], rendezvous [ˈrɒndevuː] |
Silent letters are one of the interesting features that make English both fascinating and challenging to learn. Understanding these silent letters can improve your pronunciation, spelling, and listening skills, helping you sound more natural and confident. While many silent letters come from the rich history of English and its borrowing from other languages, mastering them is a key step toward fluency. Knowing how to pronounce words correctly makes speaking and communication more confident and clearer. Keep practicing, and don’t let silent letters silence your progress!
Photo: Victoria Falls, located on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe in Africa