Silent Letters
Silent letters are letters you can see in a word but do not pronounce, and they are one of the reasons English spelling can feel unpredictable. In words like <em>knife</em>, the <em>k</em> is silent, while in <em>island</em> the <em>s</em> is not heard; in both cases, the spelling reflects the word's history more than its modern sound. These letters may appear at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of a word, and they often preserve links to older forms of English or to words borrowed from other languages. Understanding them helps you make sense of why a word is written one way and said another.
221 entries in this category
Silent B
20The B is silent
"He gave me a thumbs up with his thumb."
The B is silent
"I have no doubt that she will arrive on time."
The B is silent
"They finally paid off the debt."
The B is silent
"Her subtle smile told me she understood."
The B is silent
"That was a dumb mistake, but he learned from it."
The B is silent
"We called a plumber to fix the leaking pipe."
The B is silent
"It was hard to climb the steep hill."
The B is silent
"A broken limb blocked the trail."
The B is silent
"The ancient tomb was sealed for centuries."
The B is silent
"A crumb fell onto the table."
The B is silent
"The lamb stayed close to its mother."
The B is silent
"She used a comb to smooth her hair."
The B is silent
"The movie ended with a bomb exploding on screen."
The B is silent
"Please write your phone number here."
The B is silent
"He lifted a heavy dumbbell at the gym."
The B is silent
"My fingers went numb in the cold."
The B is silent
"The baby developed in the womb."
The B is silent
"We explored a dark catacomb beneath the city."
The B is silent
"She refused to succumb to pressure."
The B is silent
"After stretching, he felt more limber."
Silent C
20The C is silent
"She strained a muscle while lifting the box."
The C is silent
"The opening scene was filmed at dawn."
The C is silent
"The scent of fresh bread filled the kitchen."
The C is silent
"He handed me the scissors to cut the paper."
The C is silent
"She has always loved science and experiments."
The C is silent
"His conscience would not let him lie."
The C is silent
"A crescent moon hung over the rooftops."
The C is silent
"The table was set with simple victuals for the journey."
The C is silent
"The contractor repaired the damaged fascia."
The C is silent
"Old maps fascinate me because of their detail."
The C is silent
"Her pronunciation improved after months of practice."
The C is silent
"The records were kept in the old chancery."
The C is silent
"The grand jury decided to indict the suspect."
The C is silent
"The indictment was announced in court on Monday."
The C is silent
"I had a biscuit with my tea this morning."
The C is silent
"Their victory surprised everyone in the stadium."
The C is silent
"He spoke without malice or anger."
The C is silent
"The film was criticized for obscene language."
The C is silent
"We began to descend the steep trail."
The C is silent
"We need to ascertain the facts before deciding."
Silent D
19The D is silent
"She pulled a handkerchief from her pocket."
The D is silent
"He put the milk back in the fridge."
The D is silent
"We have a meeting on Wednesday morning."
The D is silent
"The old bridge crosses the river."
The D is silent
"He wore a badge on his jacket."
The D is silent
"The cat sat on the narrow ledge."
The D is silent
"She used a wedge to keep the door open."
The D is silent
"They made a pledge to help the team."
The D is silent
"He still held a grudge after all these years."
The D is silent
"The judge listened carefully to both sides."
The D is silent
"He ate porridge for breakfast."
The D is silent
"The children rode down the hill on a sledge."
The D is silent
"She bought a box of chocolate fudge."
The D is silent
"We hiked along the mountain ridge."
The D is silent
"After hours in the snow, we had to trudge home."
The D is silent
"The heavy door would not budge."
The D is silent
"A tall hedge surrounds the garden."
The D is silent
"He gave me a gentle nudge to start talking."
The D is silent
"She managed to dodge the falling branch."
Silent G
20The G is silent
"A gnat hovered near the lamp."
The G is silent
"Dogs often gnaw on bones."
The G is silent
"The garden gnome stood by the path."
The G is silent
"The old tree had a gnarl in its trunk."
The G is silent
"He began to gnash his teeth in frustration."
The G is silent
"She felt a gnawing hunger after the hike."
The G is silent
"Please align the pictures along the wall."
The G is silent
"We saw a sign for the museum."
The G is silent
"Her design won first place."
The G is silent
"He decided to resign from his job."
The G is silent
"The campaign focused on clean water."
The G is silent
"She learned several foreign phrases."
The G is silent
"The king's reign lasted for decades."
The G is silent
"He tried to feign surprise."
The G is silent
"They toasted with a glass of champagne."
The G is silent
"The doctor said the growth was benign."
The G is silent
"They sought to impugn his credibility."
The G is silent
"It is unfair to malign someone without proof."
The G is silent
"This discovery may change the scientific paradigm."
The G is silent
"The empire's hegemony slowly declined."
Silent GH
20The GH is silent
"We walked home after night fell."
The GH is silent
"The light from the window was warm."
The GH is silent
"She took the right train downtown."
The GH is silent
"The mountain was a beautiful sight."
The GH is silent
"We might leave earlier than planned."
The GH is silent
"The plane flew high above the clouds."
The GH is silent
"Though it was cold, we went outside."
The GH is silent
"We walked through the park."
The GH is silent
"That thought stayed with me all day."
The GH is silent
"He bought fresh bread from the market."
The GH is silent
"My teacher taught us a new song."
The GH is silent
"She caught the ball with one hand."
The GH is silent
"Their daughter starts school next week."
The GH is silent
"Our neighbor watered the plants for us."
The GH is silent
"Please drive straight until the light changes."
The GH is silent
"The box was heavy, but its weight was manageable."
The GH is silent
"We arrived at eight o'clock."
The GH is silent
"She finished in eighth place."
The GH is silent
"He pulled a muscle in his thigh during practice."
The GH is silent
"The children rode in a bright red sleigh."
Silent H
20The H is silent
"She is the heir to the family farm."
The H is silent
"He gave an honest answer to the question."
The H is silent
"We waited for an hour before the train arrived."
The H is silent
"It was an honor to meet the author."
The H is silent
"The watch is a treasured family heirloom."
The H is silent
"She received an honorary degree from the university."
The H is silent
"Honesty is important in any friendship."
The H is silent
"We parked the vehicle near the store."
The H is silent
"The long hike began to exhaust the group."
The H is silent
"The children told stories about a ghost in the attic."
The H is silent
"The song has a strong rhythm."
The H is silent
"A rhinoceros can weigh several tons."
The H is silent
"The composer wrote a short rhapsody for piano."
The H is silent
"The speaker relied on rhetoric rather than facts."
The H is silent
"The new scheme was designed to save energy."
The H is silent
"The school opens at eight o'clock."
The H is silent
"Our schedule changed at the last minute."
The H is silent
"The chorus sang the final verse together."
The H is silent
"Her voice seemed to echo through the hall."
The H is silent
"He added an anchovy to the pizza."
Silent K
20The K is silent
"She cut the cake with a sharp knife."
The K is silent
"The knight rode into the castle at dawn."
The K is silent
"Please knock before you enter the room."
The K is silent
"He hurt his knee while running."
The K is silent
"The child had to kneel to tie her shoe."
The K is silent
"I know the answer to your question."
The K is silent
"Her knowledge of history is impressive."
The K is silent
"He tied the rope in a tight knot."
The K is silent
"You need to knead the dough for a few minutes."
The K is silent
"He scraped his knuckle on the wall."
The K is silent
"In the old story, the knave tried to trick the king."
The K is silent
"I knew you would arrive on time."
The K is silent
"My grandmother likes to knit scarves in winter."
The K is silent
"Turn the knob to open the door."
The K is silent
"He packed a map and water in his knapsack."
The K is silent
"They sat on a grassy knoll and watched the sunset."
The K is silent
"The old diary mentions a pair of wool knickers."
The K is silent
"He behaved in a knightly manner throughout the trial."
The K is silent
"She spent the evening knitting by the fireplace."
The K is silent
"The boxer won the match by knockout."
Silent L
20The L is silent
"She stayed calm during the interview."
The L is silent
"We need to talk before dinner."
The L is silent
"They took a long walk after lunch."
The L is silent
"I ate half the pizza."
The L is silent
"We had salmon for supper."
The L is silent
"He held the coin in his palm."
The L is silent
"I could hear music from next door."
The L is silent
"She would like a cup of tea."
The L is silent
"You should call your mother."
The L is silent
"They studied local folk songs."
The L is silent
"The yolk of the egg was bright yellow."
The L is silent
"The horse began to balk at the gate."
The L is silent
"The gardener cut the tall stalks."
The L is silent
"The celery stalks were crisp and fresh."
The L is silent
"She walked home in the rain."
The L is silent
"We talked late into the night."
The L is silent
"Please write your name in chalk."
The L is silent
"He answered calmly and clearly."
The L is silent
"She felt no qualm about the decision."
The L is silent
"The balm soothed the dry skin."
Silent N
3The K is silent
"She has known him for many years."
The N is silent
"Leaves fall quickly in autumn."
The N is silent
"The museum has a marble column in the entrance hall."
Silent P
20The P is silent
"She decided to study psychology in college."
The P is silent
"The psychic claimed to know what would happen next."
The P is silent
"He spent a week in the hospital with pneumonia."
The P is silent
"The children were fascinated by the picture of a pterodactyl."
The P is silent
"The doctor explained that the pterygium would need monitoring."
The P is silent
"The choir sang a psalm during the service."
The P is silent
"His pseudo confidence did not fool anyone."
The P is silent
"The author wrote under a pseudonym."
The P is silent
"The novel explores the character's psyche."
The P is silent
"She uses a special cream to manage her psoriasis."
The P is silent
"He chose psychiatry as his medical specialty."
The P is silent
"The course introduced students to psychoanalysis."
The P is silent
"Psst, come here and look at this."
The P is silent
"The museum displayed a model of a pterosaur."
The P is silent
"Old cookbooks once warned about ptomaine poisoning."
The P is silent
"The mechanic used a pneumatic drill."
The P is silent
"The factory relies on pneumatics for several machines."
The P is silent
"The documentary warned viewers about pseudoscience."
The P is silent
"She added psyllium to the recipe for extra fiber."
The P is silent
"He met with a psychotherapist every Thursday."
Silent T
19The T is silent
"We toured an old castle on the hill."
The T is silent
"Please listen carefully to the instructions."
The T is silent
"Fasten your seat belt before the car moves."
The T is silent
"He heard a whistle from across the field."
The T is silent
"The streets bustle with people after work."
The T is silent
"A thistle grew beside the stone wall."
The T is silent
"The wet leaves glisten in the morning light."
The T is silent
"We often walk home after dinner."
The T is silent
"Heat will soften the butter quickly."
The T is silent
"Moisten the cloth before you clean the screen."
The T is silent
"The music filled her with rapture."
The T is silent
"The book describes the life of an apostle."
The T is silent
"They signed the mortgage for their first house."
The T is silent
"Christmas lights were shining on every street."
The T is silent
"The view from the summit was matchless."
The T is silent
"The old tower had a castlelike appearance."
The T is silent
"The fastening on the backpack broke yesterday."
The T is silent
"Listening closely helped me understand the problem."
The T is silent
"The whistleblower exposed the company's secret plan."
Silent W
20The W is silent
"She sprained her wrist while playing soccer."
The W is silent
"Please write your name at the top of the page."
The W is silent
"I will wrap the gift in blue paper."
The W is silent
"The storm left the ship a wreck."
The W is silent
"A tiny wren sang from the tree branch."
The W is silent
"I took the wrong train home."
The W is silent
"They hung a wreath on the front door."
The W is silent
"The knight carried a sword at his side."
The W is silent
"She knew the answer right away."
The W is silent
"We only need two tickets."
The W is silent
"The meeting starts at twelve noon."
The W is silent
"He ate the whole pizza by himself."
The W is silent
"Who called me earlier today?"
The W is silent
"Whose jacket is hanging by the door?"
The W is silent
"Whom did you invite to dinner?"
The W is silent
"She wrote a letter to her grandmother."
The W is silent
"The fish began to wriggle in his hands."
The W is silent
"He used a wrench to fix the pipe."
The W is silent
"The children began to wrestle on the grass."
The W is silent
"The play was written by a famous playwright named Wright."