In the English language, certain letters in words remain unspoken, known as silent letters. They are not pronounced, but they hold a significant role in maintaining the word's historical lineage or helping with pronunciation. Let's explore examples for each letter from A to Z where these silent letters appear.
- 1. A - Silent in breadth
- In the word breadth, the letter 'A' is silent. The word is pronounced as 'bredth'.
- 2. B - Silent in thumb
- Here, the 'B' is silent, and the word is pronounced 'thum'.
- 3. C - Silent in indict
- The 'C' is silent, and the word is pronounced 'in-dite'.
- 4. D - Silent in wednesday
- The 'D' in Wednesday is silent, pronounced 'wenz-day'.
- 5. E - Silent in age
- The final 'E' is silent and it becomes 'aij'.
- 6. F - Silent in fifth
- Sometimes, the 'F' in fifth is less pronounced which sounds like 'fith'.
- 7. G - Silent in gnome
- The letter 'G' is silent, and the word is read as 'nome'.
- 8. H - Silent in honor
- In honor, the 'H' is silent, pronounced 'on-er'.
- 9. I - Silent in business
- Here, 'I' is sometimes muted, with 'business' sounding like 'biz-ness'.
- 10. J - Silent in marijuana
- In some pronunciations, 'J' is silent, read as 'mari-wana'.
- 11. K - Silent in knight
- The 'K' is silent, making it 'nite'.
- 12. L - Silent in calm
- The 'L' remains silent, pronounced 'cam'.
- 13. M - Silent in mnemonic
- In 'mnemonic', the 'M' is silent, pronounced 'nuh-monic'.
- 14. N - Silent in hymn
- The 'N' is silent, and it sounds 'him'.
- 15. O - Silent in chocolate
- The 'O' in the second syllable is silent, pronounced 'choc-late'.
- 16. P - Silent in psychology
- Here, 'P' is silent, as it is pronounced 'sai-kol-uh-jee'.
- 17. Q - Typically, 'Q' is not silent
- In the English language, there's no standard word where 'Q' is silent.
- 18. R - Silent in sword
- The 'R' is silent, pronounced 'sawd'.
- 19. S - Silent in island
- In 'island', 'S' is silent, pronounced 'ai-land'.
- 20. T - Silent in castle
- The 'T' is silent, heard as 'kas-ul'.
- 21. U - Silent in guard
- The 'U' is silent, pronounced 'gard'.
- 22. V - Typically, 'V' is not silent
- It functions similarly to 'Q', maintaining its pronunciation in words.
- 23. W - Silent in wrist
- The 'W' is silent, making the word sound like 'rist'.
- 24. X - Silent in faux
- The 'X' is silent, pronounced 'fo'.
- 25. Y - Typically, 'Y' is not silent
- 'Y' generally holds its pronunciation in words.
- 26. Z - Silent in rendezvous
- The 'Z' in 'rendezvous' is silent, pronounced 'ron-de-voo'.
Example: 'The breadth of the project was astounding.'
Example: 'He injured his thumb during the game.'
Example: 'The jury decided to indict the suspect.'
Example: 'Our meeting is scheduled for Wednesday.'
Example: 'His age is just a number.'
Example: 'He finished in fifth place.'
Example: 'A gnome stood guarding the garden.'
Example: 'It was an honor to meet the author.'
Example: 'Her business trip was successful.'
Example: 'The new law affects the marijuana industry.'
Example: 'The knight rode forth into battle.'
Example: 'The baby's calm demeanor eased everyone's nerves.'
Example: 'She used a mnemonic to remember the formula.'
Example: 'The choir sang a beautiful hymn.'
Example: 'She loves chocolate of all kinds.'
Example: 'Her major is in psychology.'
Note: 'Q' generally appears as 'QU', such as in 'queen', where neither is silent.
Example: 'The sword hung proudly on the wall.'
Example: 'They discovered an uninhabited island.'
Example: 'The old castle stood atop the hill.'
Example: 'He took a position as a security guard.'
Note: 'V' is distinctly pronounced in examples like 'vase' or 'victory'.
Example: 'She wore a watch on her wrist.'
Example: 'He bought a faux fur jacket.'
Note: Words like 'young' or 'yellow' distinctly require 'Y'.
Example: 'They planned a rendezvous at the café.'
Understanding these examples from A-Z can enhance your awareness of silent letters in English and improve your grasp of pronunciation intricacies. Though silent letters are not vocalized, they are essential elements in the orthography and etymology of many words.
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