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Silent G words

G is silent when it sits next to N in the same syllable, either before it (gnome, gnaw) or after it (sign, design, foreign). Watch for the pattern breaking across a syllable boundary: sign has a silent G, but signature restores it because the G starts a new syllable.


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The words

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Autumn, column, hymn: an N that vanishes after M at the end of a word. Practise these MN endings.
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Wednesday, handkerchief, handsome: the D drops out in normal speech. Hear how they really sound.
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Scissors, muscle, science: the C is written but silent. Practise these tricky SC and CK spellings.
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Island, aisle, debris, Illinois: words hiding a silent S. Hear each one said the right way.
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Guess, guitar, tongue, biscuit: a U that only exists to protect the G. Practise these spellings.
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A silent final E that changes the vowel before it: hat to hate, kit to kite. Hear the difference.
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Keep practising

Browse every practice list or the word index, hear two accents back to back on Compare, or test your ear with the listening quiz.

To read the rules behind these words, see the pronunciation guides — including silent letters, word stress and American vs British. Or hear each accent on its own page: American, British, Australian.