English is full of words with silent letters, letters that are written but not pronounced.

These words can be tricky for learners, but mastering them will improve your pronunciation and help you sound more fluent.

Let’s look at some common words with silent letters and learn how to pronounce them correctly!

1. Knight

Silent Letter: K
Pronunciation: /naɪt/
The "k" in "knight" is silent, as it is in many words starting with "kn" (e.g., "knife," "knee").

  • Example: The brave knight rode into battle.

2. Hour

Silent Letter: H
Pronunciation: /aʊər/
The "h" in "hour" is silent, as it is in related words like "honor" and "honest."

  • Example: The meeting lasted for an hour.

3. Island

Silent Letter: S
Pronunciation: /ˈaɪlənd/
The "s" in "island" is silent, even though it’s part of the spelling.

  • Example: We visited a beautiful tropical island.

Other Common Words with Silent Letters

  1. Listen

  • Silent Letter: T

  • Pronunciation: /ˈlɪsən/

  • Example: She likes to listen to music.

  1. Debt

  • Silent Letter: B

  • Pronunciation: /dɛt/

  • Example: He is working hard to pay off his debt.

  1. Salmon

  • Silent Letter: L

  • Pronunciation: /ˈsæmən/

  • Example: We had grilled salmon for dinner.

  1. Psychology

  • Silent Letter: P

  • Pronunciation: /saɪˈkɒlədʒi/

  • Example: She is studying psychology at university.

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