English Pronunciation: Silent Letters

English words with silent letters and pronunciation exceptions — why 'knife' isn't pronounced how it looks.

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Cards

1. 1knife
   K (silent K at the beginning)
2. 2knee
   K (silent K at the beginning)
3. 3knight
   K (silent K at the beginning), GH is also silent
4. 4knock
   K (silent K at the beginning)
5. 5know
   K (silent K at the beginning)
6. 6doubt
   B (empty letter, never has a sound)
7. 7debt
   B (inserted to match Latin cognates like 'debit')
8. 8subtle
   B (inert letter, compare 'subtility')
9. 9climb
   B (silent B at the end after M)
10. 10lamb
    B (silent B at the end after M)
11. 11thumb
    B (silent B at the end after M)
12. 12comb
    B (silent B at the end after M)
13. 13honor
    H (empty letter at the beginning)
14. 14honest
    H (empty letter at the beginning)
15. 15hour
    H (empty letter at the beginning)
16. 16heir
    H (empty letter at the beginning)
17. 17answer
    W (empty letter, never has a sound)
18. 18sword
    W (empty letter)
19. 19two
    W (silent W before O)
20. 20write
    W (silent W at the beginning before R)
21. 21wrong
    W (silent W at the beginning before R)
22. 22wrap
    W (silent W at the beginning before R)
23. 23wrist
    W (silent W at the beginning before R)
24. 24island
    S (spuriously inserted to match 'isle', but Germanic origin)
25. 25aisle
    S (from 'isle', Latin 'insula')
26. 26psychology
    P (Greek initial cluster PS, P is silent)
27. 27pneumonia
    P (Greek initial cluster PN, P is silent)
28. 28pterodactyl
    P (Greek initial cluster PT, P is silent)
29. 29receipt
    P (silent P in the middle)
30. 30cupboard
    P (compound word simplified in pronunciation)

And 49 more cards. Study the whole deck free

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