200+ Words With Silent Letters in English (A-Z) with Rules

One of the frustrating things in English is the fact that many words have letters that we don’t pronounce at all. These are called silent letters. Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do, but there are some rules which can help us. These rules about silent letters can help your pronunciation.

So, today I am going to explain silent letters rules and also give you 200+ words with silent letters.

First of all, Let’s understand what are silent letters?

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What Are Silent Letters?

The silent letter is a part of a word that is only written but not spoken.🔇

For example:

Know
Walk

Words With Silent Letters with Rules

We are going to give you 200+ Words With Silent Letters with Rules to pronounce them correctly.

Words with Silent Letters (A)

We use silent letter ‘a’ when it comes before ‘lly’

Critically
Automatically
Practically
Musically
Artistically
Basically
Physically
Romantically
Logically

But be careful because that rule doesn’t apply to all words that end in “lly”. For example:

Ideally
Vocally
Generally

Words with Silent Letters (B)

We use silent ‘b’ when it comes after ‘M’ or before ‘T’.

Doubt
Plumber
Lamb
Thumb
Jamb
Lamb
Limb
Comb
Tomb
Womb
Dumb
Climb
Debt
Aplomb
Bomb
Climb
Coulomb
Crumb
Numb
Subtle
Succumb

There are exceptions to these rules.

Obtain (it comes before ‘T’ but still pronounced)
Remember (it comes after ‘M’ but still pronounced)

Words with Silent Letters (C)

Letter C is Silent after ‘S’ and before ‘I’ or ‘E’.

Crescent
Science
Scene
Ascent
Descent
Scent
Muscle
Discipline
Abscess
Disciple
Fascinate
Fluorescent
Ascend
Conscience
Obscene
Resuscitate
Scenario
Scissors
Conscious
Descend
Evanesce
Transcend

Words with Silent Letters (D)

Normally, Letter D is silent before “N’ or “G”

Acknowledge
Edge
Hedge
Judge
Sandwich
Handkerchief
Badge
Handsome
Wedge
Wednesday
Ledger

Words with Silent Letters (E)

Letter “E” is silent when it comes at the end of the word

Age
Bake
Breathe
Bridge
Cake
Face
Gene
Kite
Taste
Mate
Hate
Like
Love
Vegetable
Change
Name
Please

This rule doesn’t apply if there is only one vowel in the word like; He (“E” is not silent).

Letter “E” can also be silent at the end of past regular verbs which end in ‘ed’.

Asked
Looked
Called
Opened
Washed
Helped
Liked
Closed

We only pronounce the “E” in verb if it ends in “D” or “T”.

Ended
Wanted
Started
Included

Words with Silent Letters (G)

Not pronounced if it comes before an “N”

Sign
Design
Resign
Consignment
Align
Assign
Reign
Feign
Foreign
Benign
Campaign
Champagne
Cologne
Gnarl
Gnarly
Gnome

“G” is not pronounced if it comes after a vowel and before an “H”.

Light
High
Eight
Daughter
Through
Night
Bright

Sometimes “GH” is pronounced like an “F”.

Tough
Laugh
Draught
Rough

Words with Silent Letters (H)

If the word starts with “WH”, the letter “H” is silent.

What
Where
When
While
White
Whether
Which
Why

If the words begin with “GH”

Ghost
Ghetto
Gherkin

Silent when begins with an “H”.

Honest
Hour
Honour

Letter H is silent when it begins with an “RH”

Rhyme
Rhythm
Rhinoceros

Sometimes letter H is silent when it comes after “C”.

Anchor
Archaeology
Ache
Architect
Chrome
Character
Champagne
Ghost
Chemical
Chlorine
Charisma
Chaos
Choir
Choreograph
Chord
Echo
Mechanic
Monarchy
Orchestra
Psychic
Rhythm
School
Scheme
Stomach
Tech

Words with Silent Letters (K)

Letter “K” is always silent when it comes before an “N” and at the beginning of the word.

Knead
Knee
Kneel
Know
Knowledge
Knew
Knickers
Knuckle
Knack
Knife
Knight
Knitting
Knot
Knock
Knob

Words with Silent Letters (L)

There is not exact rule for lettet “L”. But usually Letter “L” is silent after “A” “E” or “U”.

Calf
Calm
Palm
Balm
Half
Salmon
Almond
Should
Would
Could
Talk
Walk
Folk
Yolk
Chalk

Words with Silent Letters (M)

There’s no word with silent letter “M”. Only one word we can see here

Mnemonic

Words with Silent Letters (N)

Letter”N” is usually silent after an “M” at the end of the word.

Column
Damn
Autumn
Hymn

Words with Silent Letters (O)

There is no rule for letter “O”. But there are some random words with silent letter “O” which we need to learn.

People
Country
Leopard
Favorite
Favour

Words with Silent Letters (P)

Letter “P” is usually silent in the letters combinations; “Ps”, “Pt”, “Pn”.

Psychology
Psychiatrist
Psychotherapy
Psychotic
Psychic
Pneumonia
Pterodactyl
Psalm
Pseudo

There are also some common random words with silent letter “P”.

Coup
Cupboad
Receipt
Raspberry

Words with Silent Letters (R)

Letter R is silent in British English if it is followed by a consonant or at the end of the word.

Butter
Fork
Star
Poor

Words with Silent Letters (S)

Letter S is silent before “I” in some words.

Island
Aisle
Isle
Islet

Other random words with silent letter S are:

Debris
Bourgeois

Words with Silent Letters (T)

It is silent before “Ch”

Match
Watch
Catch
Scratch
Witch
Butcher
Stitch

If a word ends in “sten”

Fasten
Listen
Glisten
Moisten
Often
Soften
Christen

If a word ends in “stle”

Bristle
Bustle
Hustle
Rustle
Castle
Apostle
Nestle
Thistle
Wrestle
Whistle

If a French word ends in “et”.

Gourmet
Ballet
Buffet

Words with Silent Letters (U)

U is silent after a “G” and before a vowel.

Guitar
Guilt
Guard
Guess
Guest
Guild
Guile
Rogue
Vogue
League
Silhouette
Tongue
Biscuit
Building
Baguette
Circuit
Disguise

Words with Silent Letters (W)

If a word starts with “Wr”, the letter “W” is silent.

Wrong
Wrote
Write
Whole
Wrap
Wrapper
Wrack
Wrath
Wreath
Wreck
Wreckage
Wren
Wrench
Wrestling
Wretched
Wrinkle
Wriggle
Wring
Wrist

If a word starts with “Wh”, the letter “W” is silent.

Who
Whoever
Whole
Wholesale
Wholesome
Whose
Whom

Now, let’s some common words with silent letter “W”.

Answer
Awry
Playwright
Sword
Two

Words with Silent Letters (X)

There is only one word with silent letter “X”.

Faux

Words with Silent Letters (Z)

There are not many words with silent letter “Z”.

Rendezvous
Laissez-faire

Words With Silent Letters – Images

Words With Silent Letters in English

Well, that’s it for words with silent letters. I hope this silent letters rules have made a few things clear for you. Share this article if you liked it.