Phonatics Rules pronunciation Silent Letters.pdf

By Samar

1. SILENT LETTERS
Conversation and Fluency
–Samar Sarky
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2. SILENT B
Rule 1: B is not pronounced after M at the end of a word.
Examples: limb, crumb, dumb, comb, bomb, thumb, climb, tomb
Rule 2: B is usuallynot pronounced before Tat the end of a root word.
Examples: debt, doubt, debtor, doubtful, subtle, subtleness
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Conversation and Fluency
–Samar Sarky

3. SILENT C
Rule 1: C is not pronounced in the combination SC.
Examples: Muscle, scissors, miscellaneous, fascinate, scenario
Exceptions: sceptic
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Conversation and Fluency
–Samar Sarky

4. SILENT D
Rule 1: D is not pronounced in the following common words:
Handkerchief, Wednesday, sandwich, handsome
Rule 2: D is also not pronounced in the combination DG.
Examples: Pledge, dodge, grudge, hedge
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Conversation and Fluency
–Samar Sarky

5. SILENT E
Rule: E is not pronounced at the end of words,but insteadelongates the
sound of the vowel before it.
Examples: Hope, drive, gave, write, site, grave, bite, hide
Exceptions: Giraffe, brunette, cassette, gazelle
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Conversation and Fluency
–Samar Sarky
Hop -hopping
Hope -hoping

6. SILENT G
Rule: G is often not pronounced when it comes before N.
Examples: foreign, sign, design, align
Exceptions: Magnet, igneous, cognitive, signature
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Conversation and Fluency
–Samar Sarky

7. SILENT GH
Rule 1: GH is not pronounced when it comes after a vowel.
Examples: Thought, drought, through, thorough, borough, daughter, light,
might, sigh, right, fight, weigh, weight
Exceptions: Doghouse, bighead
Rule 2: GH is sometimes pronounced like F.
Examples: rough, tough, laugh, enough, cough
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Conversation and Fluency
–Samar Sarky

8. SILENT H
Rule 1: H is not pronounced when it comes after W
Examples: what, when, where, whether, why
Rule 2: H is not pronounced at the beginning of many words (remember to use
the article “an” with unvoiced H).
Examples: hour, honest, honour, heir
Exceptions: hill, history, height, happy
Rule 3: H is often not pronounced when it comes after C, G or R.
Examples: choir, chorus, ghoul, echo, rhinocerous, rhythm
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Conversation and Fluency
–Samar Sarky

9. SILENT K
Rule: K is not pronounced when it comes beforeN at the beginning of a word.
Examples: knife, knee, know, knock, knowledge
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Conversation and Fluency
–Samar Sarky

10. SILENT L
Rule: L is not pronounced after the vowels A, O and U.
Examples: calm, half, talk, walk, would, should, could, calf, salmon, yolk,
chalk, balm
Exceptions: Halo, bulk, hold, sold, fold, mould
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Conversation and Fluency
–Samar Sarky

11. SILENT N
Rule: N is not pronounced when it comes after M at the end of a word.
Examples: Autumn, column, solemn
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Conversation and Fluency
–Samar Sarky

12. SILENT P
Rule: P is not pronounced at the beginning of many words using the
combinations PS, PT and PN.
Psychiatrist, pneumonia, psychotherapy, psychotic, psychologist,
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Conversation and Fluency
–Samar Sarky

13. SILENT PH
Rule: PH is sometimes pronounced like F.
Examples: telephone, paragraph, alphabet, epiphany, sophomore
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Conversation and Fluency
–Samar Sarky

14. SILENT S
Rule: S is not pronounced before L in the following words:
Island, isle, aisle
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Conversation and Fluency
–Samar Sarky

15. SILENT T
Rule: T is not pronounced in these common words:
Castle, Christmas, fasten, listen, often, whistle, bustle, hasten, soften, rapport,
gourmet, ballet
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Conversation and Fluency
–Samar Sarky

16. SILENT U
Rule: U is not pronounced when it comes after G and before a vowel.
Examples: guess, guidance, guitar, guest, guard
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Conversation and Fluency
–Samar Sarky

17. SILENT W
Rule 1: W is not pronounced at the beginning of a word when it is before the
letter R.
Examples: wrap, write, wrong, wring, wreck, wrestle, wrist
Rule 2: W is not pronouncedin the following words:
Who, whose, whom, whole, whoever, answer, sword, two
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Conversation and Fluency
–Samar Sarky