Phonics word list

Silent letter words

In short

Silent letter words have a consonant you see but don't hear, such as the k in knee, the w in write, the b in lamb, the t in castle and the h in hour. Our checked list has 354 words with a silent consonant.

At a glance

Words in our list: 354
By syllables: one syllable: 147 · two syllables: 153 · three or more syllables: 54
By position: initial: 124 · medial: 202 · final: 28
Taught in: Lesson 98 in the sequence

Silent letter words, most common first

Spelling units show how each word breaks into the letters that spell one sound; a_e is a vowel and silent e working together. Readable after is the first lesson where a student can sound out the whole word.

kn (knew, know)

The 24 most common of 44 words. 20 more are in our list.

kn (knew, know)
Word	Spelling units	Syllables	Readable after
knew	kn·ew	1	Lesson 98
know	kn·ow	1	Lesson 98
knock	kn·o·ck	1	Lesson 98
known	kn·ow·n	1	Lesson 98
knows	kn·ow·s	1	Lesson 98
knocks	kn·o·ck·s	1	Lesson 98
knocked	kn·o·ck·ed	1	Lesson 98
knowing	kn·ow·i·ng	2	Lesson 98
unknown	u·n·kn·ow·n	2	Lesson 98
knocking	kn·o·ck·i·ng	2	Lesson 98
knowledge	kn·o·w·l·e·dge	2	Not in the sequence
knee	kn·ee	1	Lesson 98
knees	kn·ee·s	1	Lesson 98
knife	kn·i_e·f	1	Lesson 98
knight	kn·igh·t	1	Lesson 98
knit	kn·i·t	1	Lesson 98
knot	kn·o·t	1	Lesson 98
knack	kn·a·ck	1	Lesson 98
knead	kn·ea·d	1	Lesson 98
kneed	kn·e·ed	1	Lesson 98
kneel	kn·ee·l	1	Lesson 98
knelt	kn·e·l·t	1	Lesson 98
knits	kn·i·t·s	1	Lesson 98
knoll	kn·o·ll	1	Lesson 98

wr (write, wrong)

The 24 most common of 70 words. 46 more are in our list.

wr (write, wrong)
Word	Spelling units	Syllables	Readable after
write	wr·i_e·t	1	Lesson 98
wrong	wr·o·ng	1	Lesson 98
wrote	wr·o_e·t	1	Lesson 98
writes	wr·i_e·t·s	1	Lesson 98
writer	wr·i·t·er	2	Lesson 98
rewrite	r·e·wr·i_e·t	2	Lesson 98
writing	wr·i·t·i·ng	2	Lesson 109
written	wr·i·tt·e·n	2	Lesson 98
wrap	wr·a·p	1	Lesson 98
wren	wr·e·n	1	Lesson 98
wraps	wr·a·p·s	1	Lesson 98
wrath	wr·a·th	1	Lesson 98
wreck	wr·e·ck	1	Lesson 98
wrist	wr·i·s·t	1	Lesson 98
wrecks	wr·e·ck·s	1	Lesson 98
wrongs	wr·o·ng·s	1	Lesson 98
wrapped	wr·a·pp·ed	1	Lesson 107
wrecked	wr·e·ck·ed	1	Lesson 98
rewrote	r·e·wr·o_e·t	2	Lesson 98
wrapper	wr·a·pp·er	2	Lesson 98
wrecker	wr·e·ck·er	2	Lesson 98
writers	wr·i·t·er·s	2	Lesson 98
wrongly	wr·o·ng·l·y	2	Lesson 98
rewrites	r·e·wr·i_e·t·s	2	Lesson 98

mb (dumb, numb)

The 24 most common of 43 words. 19 more are in our list.

mb (dumb, numb)
Word	Spelling units	Syllables	Readable after
dumb	d·u·mb	1	Lesson 98
numb	n·u·mb	1	Lesson 98
limb	l·i·mb	1	Lesson 98
climb	c·l·i·mb	1	Lesson 98
limbs	l·i·mb·s	1	Lesson 98
thumb	th·u·mb	1	Lesson 98
climbs	c·l·i·mb·s	1	Lesson 98
climbed	c·l·i·mb·ed	1	Lesson 98
climbing	c·l·i·mb·i·ng	2	Lesson 98
comb	c·o·mb	1	Lesson 98
jamb	j·a·mb	1	Lesson 98
lamb	l·a·mb	1	Lesson 98
tomb	t·o·mb	1	Not in the sequence
womb	w·o·mb	1	Not in the sequence
combs	c·o·mb·s	1	Lesson 98
crumb	c·r·u·mb	1	Lesson 98
lambs	l·a·mb·s	1	Lesson 98
plumb	p·l·u·mb	1	Lesson 98
tombs	t·o·mb·s	1	Not in the sequence
combed	c·o·mb·ed	1	Lesson 98
crumbs	c·r·u·mb·s	1	Lesson 98
numbed	n·u·mb·ed	1	Lesson 98
thumbs	th·u·mb·s	1	Lesson 98
plumbed	p·l·u·mb·ed	1	Lesson 98

gn (sign, signs)

The 24 most common of 69 words. 45 more are in our list.

gn (sign, signs)
Word	Spelling units	Syllables	Readable after
sign	s·i·gn	1	Lesson 118
signs	s·i·gn·s	1	Lesson 118
signed	s·i·gn·ed	1	Lesson 118
design	d·e·s·i·gn	2	Lesson 118
designs	d·e·s·i·gn·s	2	Lesson 118
foreign	f·ore·i·gn	2	Lesson 118
signing	s·i·gn·i·ng	2	Lesson 118
campaign	c·a·m·p·ai·gn	2	Lesson 118
designed	d·e·s·i·gn·ed	2	Lesson 118
designing	d·e·s·i·gn·i·ng	3	Lesson 118
gnome	gn·o_e·m	1	Lesson 118
reign	r·ei·gn	1	Lesson 118
align	a·l·i·gn	2	Lesson 118
aligns	a·l·i·gn·s	2	Lesson 118
assign	a·ss·i·gn	2	Lesson 118
resign	r·e·s·i·gn	2	Lesson 118
aligned	a·l·i·gn·ed	2	Lesson 118
assigns	a·ss·i·gn·s	2	Lesson 118
resigns	r·e·s·i·gn·s	2	Lesson 118
assigned	a·ss·i·gn·ed	2	Lesson 118
resigned	r·e·s·i·gn·ed	2	Lesson 118
campaigns	c·a·m·p·ai·gn·s	2	Lesson 118
champagne	ch·a·m·p·a·gn·e	2	Lesson 118
campaigned	c·a·m·p·ai·gn·ed	2	Lesson 118

silent b (doubt, subtle)

15 words, most common first.

silent b (doubt, subtle)
Word	Spelling units	Syllables	Readable after
doubt	d·ou·b·t	1	Not in the sequence
subtle	s·u·b·t·le	2	Not in the sequence
doubtful	d·ou·b·t·f·u·l	2	Not in the sequence
debt	d·e·b·t	1	Not in the sequence
doubts	d·ou·b·t·s	1	Not in the sequence
doubtless	d·ou·b·t·l·e·ss	2	Not in the sequence
subtlety	s·u·b·t·le·t·y	3	Not in the sequence
subtleties	s·u·b·t·le·t·ie·s	3	Not in the sequence
undoubtedly	u·n·d·ou·b·t·e·d·l·y	4	Not in the sequence
debts	d·e·b·t·s	1	Not in the sequence
debtor	d·e·b·t·or	2	Not in the sequence
debtors	d·e·b·t·or·s	2	Not in the sequence
doubted	d·ou·b·t·ed	2	Not in the sequence
doubting	d·ou·b·t·i·ng	2	Not in the sequence
undoubted	u·n·d·ou·b·t·e·d	3	Not in the sequence

silent t (listen, ballet)

18 words, most common first.

silent t (listen, ballet)
Word	Spelling units	Syllables	Readable after
listen	l·i·s·t·e·n	2	Lesson 118
ballet	b·a·ll·e·t	2	Not in the sequence
castle	c·a·s·t·le	2	Lesson 118
hasten	h·a·s·t·e·n	2	Lesson 118
listens	l·i·s·t·e·n·s	2	Lesson 118
whistle	wh·i·s·t·le	2	Lesson 118
listened	l·i·s·t·e·n·ed	2	Lesson 118
whistles	wh·i·s·t·le·s	2	Lesson 118
listener	l·i·s·t·e·n·er	3	Lesson 118
listening	l·i·s·t·e·n·i·ng	3	Lesson 118
identifiers	i·d·e·n·t·i·f·i·er·s	5	Lesson 118
ballets	b·a·ll·e·t·s	2	Not in the sequence
castles	c·a·s·t·le·s	2	Lesson 118
hastens	h·a·s·t·e·n·s	2	Lesson 118
hastened	h·a·s·t·e·n·ed	2	Lesson 118
whistled	wh·i·s·t·le·d	2	Lesson 118
hastening	h·a·s·t·e·n·i·ng	3	Lesson 118
listeners	l·i·s·t·e·n·er·s	3	Lesson 118

silent h (hour, hours)

The 24 most common of 27 words. 3 more are in our list.

silent h (hour, hours)
Word	Spelling units	Syllables	Readable after
hour	h·our	2	Not in the sequence
hours	h·our·s	2	Not in the sequence
honest	h·o·n·e·s·t	2	Not in the sequence
rhyme	r·h·y·m·e	1	Not in the sequence
exhaust	e·x·h·au·s·t	2	Not in the sequence
exhausts	e·x·h·au·s·t·s	2	Not in the sequence
exhibit	e·x·h·i·b·i·t	3	Not in the sequence
honesty	h·o·n·e·s·t·y	3	Not in the sequence
honestly	h·o·n·e·s·t·l·y	3	Not in the sequence
dishonest	d·i·s·h·o·n·e·s·t	3	Not in the sequence
exhausted	e·x·h·au·s·t·ed	3	Not in the sequence
exhausting	e·x·h·au·s·t·i·ng	3	Not in the sequence
exhaustive	e·x·h·au·s·t·i·v·e	3	Not in the sequence
honorary	h·o·n·or·a·r·y	4	Not in the sequence
exhibition	e·x·h·i·b·i·tion	4	Not in the sequence
rhetorical	r·h·e·t·or·i·c·a·l	4	Not in the sequence
heir	h·eir	1	Not in the sequence
heirs	h·eir·s	1	Not in the sequence
herbs	h·er·b·s	1	Not in the sequence
rhymed	r·h·y·m·ed	1	Not in the sequence
rhymes	r·h·y·m·e·s	1	Not in the sequence
rhyming	r·h·y·m·i·ng	2	Not in the sequence
heirloom	h·eir·l·oo·m	2	Not in the sequence
heirlooms	h·eir·l·oo·m·s	2	Not in the sequence

silent l (folk, half)

The 24 most common of 48 words. 24 more are in our list.

silent l (folk, half)
Word	Spelling units	Syllables	Readable after
folk	f·o·l·k	1	Not in the sequence
half	h·a·l·f	1	Not in the sequence
talk	t·a·l·k	1	Not in the sequence
walk	w·a·l·k	1	Not in the sequence
could	c·ou·l·d	1	Lesson 34 (heart word)
folks	f·o·l·k·s	1	Not in the sequence
talks	t·a·l·k·s	1	Not in the sequence
walks	w·a·l·k·s	1	Not in the sequence
would	w·ou·l·d	1	Lesson 34 (heart word)
should	sh·ou·l·d	1	Lesson 34 (heart word)
talked	t·a·l·k·ed	1	Not in the sequence
walked	w·a·l·k·ed	1	Not in the sequence
behalf	b·e·h·a·l·f	2	Not in the sequence
talking	t·a·l·k·i·ng	2	Not in the sequence
walking	w·a·l·k·i·ng	2	Not in the sequence
solely	s·o·l·e·l·y	3	Not in the sequence
chalk	ch·a·l·k	1	Not in the sequence
halve	h·a·l·v·e	1	Not in the sequence
halves	h·a·l·v·e·s	1	Not in the sequence
calf	c·a·l·f	1	Not in the sequence
yolk	y·o·l·k	1	Not in the sequence
caulk	c·au·l·k	1	Not in the sequence
salve	s·a·l·v·e	1	Not in the sequence
stalk	s·t·a·l·k	1	Not in the sequence

silent w (two, answer)

11 words, most common first.

silent w (two, answer)
Word	Spelling units	Syllables	Readable after
two	t·w·o	1	Lesson 22 (heart word)
answer	a·n·s·w·er	2	Not in the sequence
answers	a·n·s·w·er·s	2	Not in the sequence
answered	a·n·s·w·er·ed	2	Not in the sequence
answering	a·n·s·w·er·i·ng	3	Not in the sequence
sword	s·w·or·d	1	Not in the sequence
twos	t·w·o·s	1	Lesson 22
swords	s·w·or·d·s	1	Not in the sequence
swordfish	s·w·or·d·f·i·sh	2	Not in the sequence
answerable	a·n·s·w·er·a·b·le	4	Not in the sequence
unanswerable	u·n·a·n·s·w·er·a·b·le	5	Not in the sequence

silent n (autumn, column)

9 words, most common first.

silent n (autumn, column)
Word	Spelling units	Syllables	Readable after
autumn	au·t·u·m·n	2	Not in the sequence
column	c·o·l·u·m·n	2	Not in the sequence
columns	c·o·l·u·m·n·s	2	Not in the sequence
condemn	c·o·n·d·e·m·n	2	Not in the sequence
condemns	c·o·n·d·e·m·n·s	2	Not in the sequence
condemned	c·o·n·d·e·m·n·ed	2	Not in the sequence
condemning	c·o·n·d·e·m·n·i·ng	3	Not in the sequence
hymn	h·y·m·n	1	Not in the sequence
hymns	h·y·m·n·s	1	Not in the sequence

When do these words become readable?

The lessons where the most words on this page become decodable. Words marked not in the sequence have a spelling the sequence never teaches as a pattern.

Lessons where the most words on this page become readable
Readable after	Words
Lesson 22	1
Lesson 98	137
Lesson 107	7
Lesson 109	5
Lesson 116	1
Lesson 118	85
Not in the sequence	118

How do you teach silent letter words?

Teach silent letters in small families, never as one big list. Kn, wr and mb first, then gn, silent t (castle, listen), silent h (hour, honest), silent l (talk, half) and silent b after a vowel (doubt, debt). "Some letters stopped making their sound long ago. We still write them." For each family, look for a relative where the letter is heard: sign and signal, soft and soften.

What mistake do students make with silent letter words?

In reading, students sound out the silent letter. That shows good decoding; prompt the flex: "Try it without the /k/." In spelling, they leave silent letters out. The fix is meaning: "Hour is about time, not our like ours." Keep a short personal list of the words that trip each student.

Where do silent letter words come in the sequence?

Silent letters come late, after vowel teams and diphthongs, usually in two lessons: kn, wr and mb first, then gn, gh and silent t. In the sequence we use, the pattern is taught in Lesson 98.

Exceptions worth knowing

Some silent letters are said in related words: muscle and muscular, bomb and bombard, sign and signature. Dialects differ on a few, such as often with or without a /t/.

Decodable sentences

Every word in these sentences can be read at Lesson 98 or earlier, or is a heart word taught by then.

I know the lamb can climb.
Listen to the bell.
Write the sign on the gate.

Questions people ask

What are 5 silent letter words?

Two, dumb, folk, half, knew. Those are the five most common of the 354 words with a silent consonant in our checked list.

Why does English have silent letters?

Many were pronounced centuries ago and dropped out of speech while spelling stayed fixed. Others were added by scholars to show a word's Latin roots, like the b in doubt.

What are the most common silent letters?

In our list, silent letters in kn, wr, mb and gn make up a large share, along with silent l in talk and walk and silent t in castle and listen.

When can a student read silent letter words?

Silent letter words are taught at Lesson 98 in the lesson sequence we use. 138 of the 354 words on this page can be sounded out by then; the rest wait for a pattern taught later, and the tables show the lesson for each word.

How this list was built

Every word comes from our lexicon of common English words, each split into spelling units and checked against a pronouncing dictionary, so a word is listed under the sound its spelling really makes. Words a student sees in our assessments are left out. The readable after lesson comes from our decodability engine, which checks each spelling unit and syllable pattern against the lesson sequence. You can run your own text through the same engine with the free decodable text checker.