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Pronunciation · lesson 9 of 24 · free

Silent letters — English pronunciation practice

English spelling keeps letters that people stopped saying long ago. Saying them (“k-nife”, “lam-b”, “wal-k”) is a common mistake. A few patterns cover most silent letters.

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How to say it

Written but not said — “learn the common patterns: kn-, wr-, -mb, -alk, -stle, -gn”

  1. kn- at the start: the k is silent — knife, knee, know.
  2. wr- at the start: the w is silent — write, wrong. After m, b is silent — lamb, comb, climb.
  3. l is silent in talk, walk, half, could; t in listen, castle, whistle; g in sign, design; h in honest, hour.

Use it for: Reading new words aloud and spelling words you have only heard.

Worked example: Which letter is silent in “knife”? → k

  1. Say “knife”: “nife”. You hear n and f.
  2. The k is written but not said: kn- at the start.

Check: knife is said “nife” ✓

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✓ Written and checked by the TalentJR team · Updated 13 Oct 2026 · How we make our lessons

✏️ Practice

Listen (🔊) or read, then tap your choice. Say each word aloud after you check. Stuck? Press “Show me how”.

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🏁 Lesson 9 test

20 questions. Check each answer, then go to the next one. Get 16 or more right to pass.

🏅 Sign in with Google to earn the 🤐 Silent Letter Sleuth badge when you pass — and a certificate when you finish all 8 lessons of Part 2 · Spelling and sound. You can still take the test without signing in.

🖨️ Silent Letters Worksheet

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