20 Words with Silent Letters: A Guide to English’s Hidden Characters

READING

Silent letters in English are like linguistic ghosts — remnants of how words were once pronounced hundreds of years ago. When the great vowel shift swept through English between 1400 and 1700, many sounds gradually disappeared from speech but stubbornly remained in writing. Take the ‘k’ in “knife,” which was actually pronounced in Old English, or the ‘gh’ in “night,” which once made a sound similar to the German “ch.” Some silent letters snuck into words purely through scholarly showing off, like the ‘b’ in “debt,” added by writers who wanted to highlight the word’s Latin root “debitum.” The ‘p’ in “psychology” is another academic addition, tipping its hat to the word’s Greek origins. Perhaps the most peculiar case is the silent ‘w’ in “answer,” which emerged from Old English “andswaru” and somehow stuck around even after people stopped pronouncing it.

VIDEO EXERCISE:  “SILENT LETTER DAY”  Listen to this 4 minute video and list all of the words he says that contain a silent letter.

Silent Letter Words:  Hour, Sandwich, Half, Subtle, Knickers, Knackers, Wednesday, Autumn, February, Talking, Walking, Climbing, Knitting, Knife, Buffet, Salmon, Swordfish, Yoghurt, Gnome, Cupboard, Wrapped, Scissors, Honestly, Should, Listen, Receipt, Champagne, Knock, Chloe, Isla, School, Lasagne, Knackered

Can you think of any other words in English with silent letters?

Can you think of any Portuguese words with silent letters?

EXAMPLES:  Vocabulary

• Knight (Silent K)
  Meaning: A medieval warrior or person granted a title of honour
  Example: “The knight rode his horse into battle.”
  Expression: “A knight in shining armor” (someone who comes to help in a difficult situation)

• Wrangle (Silent W)
  Meaning: To argue or dispute with someone
  Example: “The siblings wrangled over who would get the last cookie.”
  Expression: “To wrangle up” (to gather or collect people/things)

• Gnat (Silent G)
  Meaning: A small flying insect
  Example: “A gnat flew into her eye while she was jogging.”
  Expression: “Like a gnat’s eyelash” (extremely small or insignificant)

• Debt (Silent B)
  Meaning: Something, especially money, that is owed
  Example: “He worked hard to pay off his student debt.”
  Expression: “In someone’s debt” (owing gratitude to someone)

• Knead (Silent K)
  Meaning: To work and press into a mass, typically dough
  Example: “She kneaded the bread dough until it was smooth.”
  Expression: “Knead out the kinks” (to work out problems)

• Muscle (Silent C)
  Meaning: Body tissue that enables movement
  Example: “His muscles were sore after the workout.”
  Expression: “Muscle in on” (to force oneself into a situation)

• Lamb (Silent B)
  Meaning: A young sheep
  Example: “The lamb followed its mother across the field.”
  Expression: “Like a lamb to the slaughter” (naive and unsuspecting)

• Subtle (Silent B)
  Meaning: Delicate, slight, or hard to notice
  Example: “The subtle flavor of herbs enhanced the dish.”
  Expression: “As subtle as a sledgehammer” (not subtle at all; obvious)

• Honest (Silent H)
  Meaning: Truthful and sincere
  Example: “Give me your honest opinion about this dress.”
  Expression: “To be honest with you” (speaking truthfully)

• Pneumatic (Silent P)
  Meaning: Containing or operated by air or gas under pressure
  Example: “The pneumatic drill made a loud noise.”
  Expression: “Like a pneumatic hammer” (very forceful or persistent)

• Calm (Silent L)
  Meaning: Peaceful, tranquil, not agitated
  Example: “The lake was calm at sunrise.”
  Expression: “Keep calm and carry on” (stay relaxed despite difficulties)

• Knife (Silent K)
  Meaning: A cutting tool with a sharp blade
  Example: “He used a sharp knife to slice the tomatoes.”
  Expression: “Like a knife through butter” (very easily)

• Wrestle (Silent W) (Silent T)
  Meaning: To engage in physical combat or struggle
  Example: “The boys wrestled on the living room floor.”
  Expression: “Wrestle with a problem” (struggle to solve something)

• Guard (Silent U)
  Meaning: To protect or watch over
  Example: “The security guard patrols the building at night.”
  Expression: “Off guard” (unprepared or surprised)

• Yacht (Silent CH) (a sounds like an o)
  Meaning: A medium-sized sailing vessel
  Example: “The yacht sailed gracefully across the bay.”
  Expression: “Push the boat out” (to spend lavishly)

• Column (Silent N)
  Meaning: A vertical support structure or arrangement
  Example: “The ancient temple had massive marble columns.”
  Expression: “Fifth column” (group undermining from within)

• Handsome (Silent D)
  Meaning: Good-looking, especially in a masculine way
  Example: “The handsome actor walked down the red carpet.”
  Expression: “Handsome is as handsome does” (actions matter more than looks)

• Mortgage (Silent T)
  Meaning: A loan for buying property
  Example: “They took out a mortgage to buy their first house.”
  Expression: “Under the mortgage” (in debt for property)

• Whistle (Silent T)
  Meaning: To make a high-pitched sound by forcing air through lips
  Example: “He whistled a happy tune while walking.”
  Expression: “Clean as a whistle” (completely clean or honest)

• Rhythm (Silent H)
  Meaning: A strong, regular pattern of movement or sound
  Example: “The rhythm of the drums got everyone dancing.”
  Expression: “Get into the rhythm” (establish a routine or pattern)

MOVIE CLIP ONE:  Tom Thumb