Silent letters
Letters that appear in the spelling but are not pronounced (kn-, wr-, mb, gn, sc, the t in castle).
Example words
- knee
- knife
- know
- write
- wrong
- lamb
- thumb
- climb
- gnome
- sign
- castle
- whistle
- island
- science
- doubt
- night
The rules in this pattern
Silent "b" dropped ("bt" written as "t")
The "b" in "bt" is silent: "doubt", "debt", "subtle".
Silent "gh" dropped ("ght" written as "t")
The "gh" in "-ght" is silent, leaving just a /t/ sound at the end: "night", "light", "thought", "brought".
Silent "g" dropped ("gn" written as "n")
The "g" next to "n" is silent: "gnome", "gnaw", "sign", "design".
Silent "s" dropped ("isl" written as "il")
The "s" is silent in this small family of words: "island", "isle", "aisle".
Silent "k" dropped ("kn" written as "n")
The "k" in "kn" is silent, so writing what you hear loses it. These words keep it: "know", "knee", "knife", "knock".
Silent "b" dropped ("mb" written as "m")
A "b" after "m" at the end of a word is silent: "thumb", "lamb", "climb", "comb".
Silent "c" dropped ("sc" written as "s")
A "c" after "s" is silent here, so the pair says just /s/: "science", "scissors", "muscle", "discipline".
Silent "t" dropped ("-stle" written as "-sle")
The "t" in "-stle" is silent: "castle", "whistle", "thistle", "rustle".
Silent "w" dropped ("wr" written as "r")
The "w" in "wr" is silent, so writing what you hear loses it. These words keep it: "write", "wrong", "wrap", "wrist".
When it's taught
From the National Curriculum for England (English Appendix 1):
Y2The /n/ sound spelt kn and (less often) gn at the beginning of words
Examples: knock, know, knee, gnat, gnaw
Y2The /r/ sound spelt wr at the beginning of words
Examples: write, written, wrote, wrong, wrap
Y5 / 6Words with 'silent' letters
Examples: doubt, island, lamb, solemn, thistle
Practise this pattern
Dictation sentences
Read each one aloud and ask your child to write it down.
- I know the lamb hurt its knee.
- Write the wrong answer in the box, then rub it out.
- The knight climbed to the top of the castle.
Quick check
Can they spell these without help?
- knock
- wrist
- comb
- whistle
Keep going
- Year 2 spelling words - the statutory list with a free worksheet
- Year 5 and 6 spelling words - the statutory list with a free worksheet
- Printable spelling test sheet - for writing the words on paper
- Practise in Spelling.Live - add these words as a list, take a Skills Check, or play games built from them
Teaching this pattern
A short lesson idea with a starter, an activity, dictation sentences and words to check.DRAFT
Teaching guide