Silent letters with rules

Chapter 3: Silent Letters

A silent letter is a letter in a word that is written but not pronounced when the word is spoken.(Or)

A silent letter is a letter in a word that is written but not pronounced.

1. Silent 'b

   - Rule: 'B' is often silent when it follows 'm' or precedes 't' at the end of a word.

   - Examples:

     - Comb 

     - Thumb 

     - Debt 

     - Doubt 

2. Silent 'c'

   - Rule: 'C' is often silent in the combination 'sc' before 'e', 'i', or 'y'.

   - Examples:

     - Scene 

     - Science 

     - Scissors 

3. Silent 'd'

   - Rule: 'D' can be silent in a few words, typically those with the combination 'dg'.

   - Examples:

     - Edge 

     - Handkerchief 

4. Silent 'e'

   - Rule: 'E' is often silent at the end of a word, where it typically indicates a long vowel sound in the preceding syllable.

   - Examples:

     - Name 

     - Time 

5. Silent 'g'

   - Rule: 'G' is silent when it precedes 'n'.

   - Examples:

     - Sign 

     - Foreign 

6. Silent 'gh'

   - Rule: 'GH' is often silent when it follows a vowel.

   - Examples:

     - Light 

     - Thought 

7. Silent 'h'

   - Rule: 'H' is often silent at the beginning of many words, especially those with a French origin, and after certain consonants.

   - Examples:

     - Hour 

     - Honest 

     - Ghost 

8. Silent 'k'

   - Rule: 'K' is silent when it precedes 'n' at the beginning of a word.

   - Examples:

     - Knife 

     - Know 

9. Silent 'l'

   - Rule: 'L' is often silent after 'a', 'o', and 'u'.

   - Examples:

     - Calm 

     - Walk 

     - Could 

10. Silent 'n'

    - Rule: 'N' is often silent after 'm' at the end of a word.

    - Examples:

      - Hymn 

      - Autumn 

11. Silent 'p'

    - Rule: 'P' is often silent at the beginning of words, particularly those with Greek origin, often before 's', 't', 'n', or 'h'.

    - Examples:

      - Psychology 

      - Pneumonia 

12. Silent 't'

    - Rule: 'T' is often silent in the combinations 'stle' and 'ften'.

    - Examples:

      - Castle 

      - Soften 

13. Silent 'u'

    - Rule: 'U' is often silent after 'g' and before a vowel.

    - Examples:

      - Guess 

      - Guitar 

14. Silent 'w'

    - Rule: 'W' is often silent at the beginning of words before 'r' and in certain words.

    - Examples:

      - Write 

      - Wrist 

      - Answer 

Chapter 4: Pronunciation

Pronunciation refers to the way in which a word or a language is spoken, encompassing the articulation of sounds, stress, rhythm, and intonation patterns.

(Or)

Pronunciation is how a word or language is spoken, including the articulation of sounds, stress patterns, rhythm, and intonation.

1. Some words with 'a' are pronounced as /æ/ (like "ae"):

Rule: When 'a' appears in certain words, it can be pronounced as /æ/, similar to the "ae" sound in "cat."

Examples:

cat /kæt/

bat /bæt/

apple /ˈæpl/

2. Some words with 'a' are pronounced as /ɑ:/ (like "ah"):

Rule: In certain words, especially those with more formal or British pronunciation, 'a' can be pronounced as /ɑ:/, resembling the "ah" sound.

Examples:

father /ˈfɑːðər/

car /kɑːr/

calm /kɑːm/

3. Some words with 'a' are pronounced as /eɪə/ (like "air"):

Rule: In some words, 'a' can be pronounced as /eɪə/, where it takes on a diphthong, sounding like "air."

Examples:

Air

Chair

Fair

Hair

Pair

Stair

Care

Dare

Share

Flair

4. 'A' after 'i' or 'y' is sometimes pronounced as /eɪ/ (like "ay"):

Rule: When 'a' follows 'i' or 'y' in some words, it is often pronounced as /eɪ/, like the "ay" sound in "day."

Examples:

aim /eɪm/

chain /tʃeɪn/

crayon /ˈkreɪɒn/

5: "C" followed by "e," "i," or "y"

- Pronounced as /s/.

- Examples:

  - Cell

  - City

  - Cycle

6. "C" followed by "a," "o," "u," "k," "r," "t," or "l"

- Pronounced as /k/.

- Examples:

  - Cat

  - Cot

  - Cut

  - Climb

  - Cradle

  - Track

  - Club

7: "C" after "ia" or "ea"

- Pronounced as /sh/.

- Examples:

  - Special

  - Social

  - Ocean

  - Efficient

8: "C" after "h"

- Pronounced as /tʃ/, /k/, or /ʃ/ depending on the word origin and context.

   **/Sh/** Sound:

     - Common in native English words.

     - Examples: Chair, Chocolate

  **/k/** Sound:

     - Often in words of Greek origin.

     - Examples: Chorus, School

  **/Sh/** Sound:

     - Typically in words borrowed from French.

     - Examples: Chef, Machine

9. "D" after "i" and "u" pronounced as /dʒ/ (like "j")

"D" after "i" and "u" pronounced as "j"

When "d" follows the vowels "i" or "u," it often takes on a /dʒ/ sound (like the "j" in "jump"):

- **Education**: Pronounced /ˌɛdʒuˈkeɪʃən/

- **Soldier**: Pronounced /ˈsoʊldʒər/

- **Graduate**: As a verb, pronounced /ˈɡrædʒueɪt/; as a noun, pronounced /ˈɡrædʒuɪt/

- **Individual**: Pronounced /ˌɪndɪˈvɪdʒuəl/

- **Procedure**: Pronounced /prəˈsidʒər/

- **Residual**: Pronounced /rɪˈzɪdʒuəl/

- **Modular**: Pronounced /ˈmɒdʒələr/

10. "D" after other letters pronounced as /d/

"D" after other(except 'I','u') letters pronounced as "d"

When "d" follows other(except 'I','u') letters, it typically retains its regular voiced alveolar plosive sound /d/:

- **Duck**: Pronounced /dʌk/

- **Dog**: Pronounced /dɔɡ/

- **Ladder**: Pronounced /ˈlædər/

- **Candy**: Pronounced /ˈkændi/

- **Hand**: Pronounced /hænd/

- **Wonderful**: Pronounced /ˈwʌndərfəl/

- **Window**: Pronounced /ˈwɪndoʊ/

- **Friend**: Pronounced /frɛnd/

- **Blend**: Pronounced /blɛnd/

11. Rule: 'e' is pronounced 'e' (as in "bed").

These words follow the rule where 'e' is pronounced as a short "e" sound.

Examples: net, leg, when, then

12.Rule: 'e' is pronounced 'ay' (as in "they").

In these words, 'e' takes on a long "e" sound, often at the end of the word.

Examples : be, we, he, she

13. Rule: 'ee' is pronounced 'ee' (long 'e' sound).

'ee' is typically pronounced as a long "e" sound, as in these examples.

Examples: see, bee, weep, sleep

14. Rule: 'ea' is pronounced 'ee' (long 'e' sound).

In these examples, 'ea' takes on a long "e" sound.

sea, clean, heat, meat

15. Rule: 'ew' is pronounced 'ayu' (as in "few").

The 'ew' combination in these words is pronounced as a diphthong, "ayu."

Examples: sew, dew, few, new

16. **G after "a," "o," "u"**:

   - The "g" typically has a hard sound, pronounced as /g/. For example: "game" (pronounced /geɪm/), "go" (pronounced /ɡoʊ/), "gum" (pronounced /ɡʌm/).

17. **G after "h"**:

   - When "gh" appears together in a word, it can sometimes be pronounced as /f/, but often it is silent.

   - Pronounced as /f/: "enough" (pronounced /ɪˈnʌf/), "tough" (pronounced /tʌf/).

18. **G after "e," "i," "y"**:

   - The "g" often has a soft sound, pronounced as /dʒ/. For example: "giraffe" (pronounced /dʒɪˈræf/), "giant" (pronounced /ˈdʒaɪənt/), "gym" (pronounced /dʒɪm/).

19. Rule for "i" pronounced as /iː/ ("ee" sound):

When "i" appears in certain words, particularly borrowed words from other languages (e.g., French), it can be pronounced as the long "ee" sound (/iː/).

Examples: machine /məˈʃiːn/, police /pəˈliːs/, unique /juːˈniːk/, ski /skiː/.

20. Rule for "i" pronounced as /ɪ/ ("short i" sound):

In many short, monosyllabic words or unstressed syllables, "i" is pronounced as the short "i" sound (/ɪ/).

Examples: bit /bɪt/, sit /sɪt/, milk /mɪlk/, give /ɡɪv/, big /bɪɡ/, ill /ɪl/.

21. Rule for "i" pronounced as /ɜː/ ("ur" sound) in some words:

In words where "i" is part of a stressed syllable followed by "r" or "r" + consonant, it can be pronounced as /ɜː/ (similar to the "ur" sound).

Examples: firm /fɜːrm/, dirt /dɜːrt/, shirt /ʃɜːrt/, birth /bɜːrθ/.

22. Rule for "i" pronounced as /aɪ/ ("long i" or "ay" sound):

When "i" is part of a stressed syllable and followed by a consonant or in open syllables, it can be pronounced as the diphthong /aɪ/ (like "ay").

Examples: time /taɪm/, find /faɪnd/, light /laɪt/, write /raɪt/, kind /kaɪnd/, fire /faɪər/.

23. Rule for "ie" and "ei" pronounced as /aɪ/ or /eɪ/:

The letter combinations "ie" and "ei" can have two main pronunciations:

Pronounced as /aɪ/ (like "ai") in words such as tie and lie.

Pronounced as /eɪ/ (like "aa") in words such as vein and rein.

In some cases, "ie" or "ei" is pronounced as /iː/, as in piece, deceive, and achieve.

Examples: tie /taɪ/, lie /laɪ/, vein /veɪn/, piece /piːs/.

24. Short 'o' Sound (/ɒ/ or /ɑː/):

The short "o" sound is found in words where "o" is followed by one or more consonants in a closed syllable.

Examples: on, not, top, dot.

25. Long 'o' Sound (/oʊ/):

The long "o" sound occurs in open syllables, often followed by a single consonant, and can be represented by "o," "ow," or "o-e."

Examples: open, old, gold, home.

26. 'ow' Pronounced as /oʊ/:

The "ow" combination is often pronounced as the long "o" sound, /oʊ/, in words that indicate a single, distinct vowel sound.

Examples: crow, show, sow, row.

27. 'ow' Pronounced as /aʊ/:

The "ow" combination can also be pronounced as the diphthong /aʊ/, typically in words that denote an action or state.

Examples: bow, cow, how, now.

28. 'oo' Pronounced as /uː/:

The "oo" combination is pronounced as the long "oo" sound /uː/, commonly found in words with a double "o."

Examples: boot, root, room, moon.

29. 'ou' Pronounced Differently (Varied Sounds):

The combination "ou" can have different pronunciations based on the word context:

It can be pronounced as /aʊər/ in words like hour and our.

It can also be pronounced as /uː/ in words like coup and soup.

Examples: hour, our (pronounced /aʊər/); coup, soup (pronounced /uː/).

30. 'oy' Pronounced as /ɔɪ/:

The "oy" combination typically has the diphthong sound /ɔɪ/, found in words that refer to a person or object.

Examples: boy, joy, toy, hoy.

31. **S before ee, oe, ie, ge, gg, g, be, y**:

   - Generally, the "s" in these combinations is pronounced as /z/. This happens because the "s" is between two voiced sounds, making it voiced as well.

   - **Examples**:

     - rupees 

     - heroes 

     - cries

     - cages

     - eggs

     - bags

     - tribes

     - toys

32. **S or ss after ion, ia**:

   - The "s" in these combinations can have a (sh) sound.

   - **Examples**:

     - Asia 

     - session 

33. **S before f, ght, te, pe, ke, p**:

   - The "s" in these combinations is typically pronounced as /s/.

   - **Examples**:

     - roofs

     - nights

     - kites

     - hopes

     - jokes

     - ships

34. "t" after "io," "ia," "ie":

When "t" follows the letter combinations "io," "ia," or "ie," it often takes on a "sh" sound (/ʃ/).

Examples: nation (/ˈneɪʃən/), initial (/ɪˈnɪʃəl/), patient (/ˈpeɪʃənt/).

35. "t" after "ure":

After "ure," the "t" typically makes a "ch" sound (/ʧ/).

Examples: future (/ˈfjuːʧər/), culture (/ˈkʌlʧər/).

36. "t" after "h" (common "th" sounds):

In "th" combinations, "t" produces the voiceless "th" (/θ/) or voiced "th" (/d/) sound.

Examples: this (/ðɪs/), thick (/θɪk/), then (/ðɛn/).

37. "t" after "h" (exceptions):

In some cases, the "h" is silent, and the "t" is pronounced like a regular "t."

Examples: Thomas (/ˈtɒməs/), Thames (/tɛmz/).

38. "U" as in "up," "but," "hut":

Rule: The "u" is pronounced as /ʌ/ when it appears in a stressed syllable and is followed by a single consonant or a consonant cluster.

Examples:

up: /ʌp/

but: /bʌt/

hut: /hʌt/

39. "O" as in "pull," "push," "put":

Rule: The "u" is pronounced as /O/ when it appears in a stressed syllable and is followed by an "ll" or "sh" sound.

Examples:

pull: /pʊl/

push: /pʊʃ/

put: /pʊt/

40. "U" as in "sure," "pure," "duty":

The "u" is pronounced as /ʊə/ or /ʃɔː/ when followed by an "r" and the "u" is in a stressed syllable.

Examples:

sure: /ʃʊə/ or /ʃɔː/

41. The "u" is pronounced as /jʊ/ or /pjɔː/ when it is followed by a consonant and appears at the beginning of a word or after a consonant.

Examples:

pure: /pjʊə/ or /pjɔː/

42: The "u" is pronounced as /ˈdjuː/ or /ˈduː/ when it is in a stressed syllable, particularly in British English.

Examples:

duty: /ˈdjuːti/ (British) or /ˈduːti/ (American)

### 1. "Y" Pronounced as /iː/ (like "ee")

When "y" is at the end of a word or syllable, it often takes on the long "e" sound, /iː/:

- **Happy**: Pronounced /ˈhæpi/

- **Candy**: Pronounced /ˈkændi/

- **Family**: Pronounced /ˈfæmɪli/

- **Baby**: Pronounced /ˈbeɪbi/

**Penny**: Pronounced /ˈpɛni/

- **Lady**: Pronounced /ˈleɪdi/

- **City**: Pronounced /ˈsɪti/

- **Army**: Pronounced /ˈɑrmi/

- **Funny**: Pronounced /ˈfʌni/

- **Pretty**: Pronounced /ˈprɪti/

- **Story**: Pronounced /ˈstɔːri/

### 2. "Y" Pronounced as /aɪ/ (like "eye")

When "y" is at the end of a one-syllable word or part of a diphthong, it often takes on the "long i" sound, /aɪ/:

- **My**: Pronounced /maɪ/

- **Fly**: Pronounced /flaɪ/

- **Cry**: Pronounced /kraɪ/

- **Sky**: Pronounced /skaɪ/

**By**: Pronounced /baɪ/

- **Try**: Pronounced /traɪ/

- **Reply**: Pronounced /rɪˈplaɪ/

- **Shy**: Pronounced /ʃaɪ/

- **Buy**: Pronounced /baɪ/

- **Dry**: Pronounced /draɪ/

- **Why**: Pronounced /waɪ/