Consonants
Silent letters
“Knee”, “write”, “gnat”, “lamb” and “half” all carry a letter that is written and not said. Most are fossils of older English where the letter was pronounced, which is why they cluster in particular pairs rather than appearing at random.
Teach by pair, not by letter. Silent k appears before n, silent w before r, silent b after m. A reader who knows the pair can decode a new word; a reader who has memorised a word list cannot.
Patterns and example words
Every word below is from the word list Cody generates from, not a hand-picked sample. The count is how many words in that list carry the pattern.
kn
194 wordsknew know knowing known knows knowledge knock knocked knocking knocks knee kneed knees knife knifed knifing knives knack knead kneads kneel knelt knit knob
wr
121 wordswrite writes writing writings written wrote wrong wronged wrongs writer writers wrap wrapped wrapping wraps wrestle wring wrinkle wrinkles wrist wrongly wrought wrung wry
gn
150 wordsdesign designed designing designs sign signed signing signs foreign designer designers assign assigned assigning assigns resign resigned resigning resigns assignment gnarl gnash gnat gnaw
mb
146 wordsclimb climbed climbing climbs bomb comb crumb lamb limb limbs numb thumb combed crumbs dumb lambs tomb
silent l
171 wordswould could should half halved halves halving folk folks calm calmed calmer calming calms calmly calmness calf halfway palm palms salmon
silent t
238 wordsoften listen listened listening listens castle castles listener listeners bustle fasten glisten hasten moisten rustle thistle whistle wrestle christmas fastened whistled whistling wrestling wrestlings
silent w
95 wordswho whom whose whole wholes answer answered answering answers knowledge acknowledge acknowledged acknowledges acknowledging sword swords two whoever
silent u
311 wordsbuild building buildings builds built though bought although laugh laughed laughing laughs resource resources shoulder shouldered shoulders draught draughts soul souls laughter tongue tongued
mn
17 wordscolumn columns autumn solemn
Curricula that teach this
Cody generates material against the scope and sequence you already teach. This skill appears in Custom Pattern Selection, Reading Simplified: 1st Grade Pathway, Reading Simplified: 2nd Grade & Up Pathway, Reading Simplified: Kindergarten Pathway, Slant System, UFLI Inspired.
Make a decodable story for this skill
Cody generates stories, word lists and worksheets constrained to the patterns a student has already been taught, so practice on silent letters does not smuggle in something they have not met yet.