Silent Letters potx
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Silent Letters
Words are often misspelled when they contain a letter that is not pronounced
- the silent p in psychology and related words is an obvious example. It's
easy to leave out these silent letters. Some letters are particularly likely to
give trouble:
C. Many words are spelled with a silent c following s: for example
abscess, descend (with descent); omniscient; words ending in -esce, -
escent, or -escence, such as acquiesce, effervescent, convalescent. A
silent c may also occur before k or q: examples include acknowledge;
acquainted; acquire.
D. Silent d is easy to omit before j, as in adjourn; adjunct; adjudicate;
adjust.
G. G should precede n in words like align; foreign; reign. G is also
sometimes followed by a silent u, as in guarantee; guard;
beleaguered.
H. Silent h is particularly common after r - as in diarrhoea (made
harder by the double r and the diphthong oe); haemorrhage (a double
r adds to the difficulty again); rhythm.C is another letter likely to be
followed by h- in saccharine, for example - and remember the h in
silhouette.
While thinking about silent letters, remember the t in mortgage and the b in
debt and subtle. Watch out as well for the i in parliament.
Some words may have whole syllables that are not pronounced and may be
left out in writing. Contemporary is is often pronounced and spelled
contempory; itinerary is similar.
Sometimes the omission of a letter or syllable comes from a mistaken
pronunciation. Many people fail to pronounce the c in Arctic and Antarctic,
and so leave it out when writing the words. The first r in February is often
left out in both speech and writing, as is the first r in secretary. Quantitative
may be shortened in speech to the more manageable quantitive, and spelled
accordingly.
