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Words Whose Pronunciation Does Not Follow Spelling - English lesson

Words whose pronunciation does not follow spelling:
In English, many words have letters that are silent or pronounced differently than they appear in writing. This can be difficult for learners because English spelling doesn't always match how words sound.

1. Common silent letters:
a) Silent k before n:
When a word starts with kn, the k is silent.
Examples:

knife → /naɪf/

knock → /nɒk/

know → /noʊ/

b) Silent w before r:
When a word starts with wr, the w is silent.
Examples:

write → /raɪt/

wrong → /rɒŋ/

wrist → /rɪst/

c) Silent b after m:
When a b follows an m, it is silent.
Examples:

comb → /koʊm/

thumb → /θʌm/

bomb → /bɒm/

d) Silent t in some words:
The t is silent in some words, often ending in -sten or like castle.
Examples:

listen → /ˈlɪs.ən/

castle → /ˈkæs.əl/

fasten → /ˈfæs.ən/

e) gh silent or pronounced as f:
The letters gh can be silent or pronounced as an f sound.
Examples of silent gh:

night → /naɪt/

light → /laɪt/

Examples of gh pronounced as f:

enough → /ɪˈnʌf/

tough → /tʌf/

2. Irregular or unexpected pronunciations:
colonel /ˈkɜːr.nəl/ Pronounced "kernel"
island /ˈaɪ.lənd/ Silent "s"
debt /det/ Silent "b"
answer /ˈæn.sər/ Silent "w"
salmon /ˈsæm.ən/ Silent "l"
Wednesday /ˈwenz.deɪ/ Reduced pronunciation
receipt /rɪˈsiːt/ Silent "p"
psychology /saɪˈkɒl.ə.dʒi/ Silent "p" and "h"
foreign /ˈfɒr.ɪn/ Silent "g" and "eign"
muscle /ˈmʌs.əl/ Silent "c"

3. Tips to remember:
- Silent letters often come from historical spelling and pronunciation.

- Some letter combinations like kn, wr, and mb have silent letters regularly.

- The gh combination can be silent or sound like f depending on the word.

- Many words with silent letters are borrowed from other languages, which explains irregular pronunciation.

👨‍🎓 Write down the silent letter:

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1. knight

2. wrist

3. comb

4. listen

5. psychology

6. salmon

7. castle

8. debt

9. thought

10. answer