Silent Letters
Silent letters are those which do not represent any element; and they must not be sounded in the pronounciation
of the words in which they occur.
| 1. E final is usually silent; as in brave, crime, drone, abide, become, improve; able, marble, Bible. |
2. E is often silent before d; as in bribed, changed, hedged; cradled, handled, struggled. |
3. E is often silent before l; as in drivel, grovel, hazel, shovel, swivel, weasel. |
| 4. E is often silent before n; as in garden, hidden, kitten, lighten, spoken, taken. |
5. I is sometimes silent before l; as in evil, weevil. |
6. I is sometimes silent before n, as in basin, cousin, reisin. |
| 7. O is sometimes silent before n, as in bacon, deacon, mason, pardon, reason, weapon. |
8. B is silent after m and before t; as in comb, climb, dumb, jamb, lamb, tomb; debt, doubt;
subtle. |
9. C is silent in czar, and muscle, and before k and t and s; as in back, crack, lock;
indict, victuals, scene, scythe, scepter. |
| 10. D id silent in Wednesday, standtholder, and before g in the same syllable; as in badge, fadge,
dodge. |
11. G is silent before m and n, and sometimes before l; as in phlegm, diaphragm; gnat,
feign, consign; intaglio, seraglio. |
12. H is silent in heir, herb, honest; and after g or r; at the end of a word and preceded
by a vocal; and sometimes after t; as in ghastly, gherkin, ghostly; rheum, rhyme, myrrh; ah, oh, halleluiah;
isthmus. |
| 13. K is always silent before n; as in knave, knee, knife, knob, known, knew. |
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