Another important element in understanding how to pronounce English words correctly is to learn which letters in words are silent.
- The letter i in the word FRIEND is silent, so FRIEND is pronounced FREND.
Looking then at the way silent letters affect the way words are pronounced, one of the most important silent letters is the silent E at the end of a word.
Athough it is not heard, it controls how other letters sound.
The natural sound of A is A as in cAt, but A can also sound like its name A, as in fAce.
Without the silent E at the end of the word, the sound of the natural A is used.
- So, tAp sounds like CAT without the silent E, but tApE sounds like FACE with the silent E.
Looking at other examples using the silent E, and other silent letters.
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A) Kite
B) Rope
C) Ship
D) Pot
O sounds like NO
(1)
Listen and RepeatContext sentence: ROPE can be useful on a boat.
A) Kite
B) Rope
C) Ship
D) Pot
O sounds like DOG
(2)
Listen and RepeatContext sentence: You need a POT to cook.
A) Kite
B) Rope
C) Ship
D) Pot
I sounds like BITE
(3)
Listen and RepeatContext sentence: You need wind to fly a KITE are used to cut paper.
A) Kite
B) Rope
C) Ship
D) Pot
I sounds like SIT
(4)
Listen and RepeatContext sentence: You need a SHIP to go to sea.
A) Thumb
B) Scissors
C) Pearl
D) Sandwich
SILENT A
(5)
Listen and RepeatContext sentence: A PEARL comes from an oyster.
A) Thumb
B) Scissors
C) Pearl
D) Sandwich
SILENT B
(6)
Listen and RepeatContext sentence: I have cut my THUMB .
A) Thumb
B) Scissors
C) Pearl
D) Sandwich
SILENT C
(7)
Listen and RepeatContext sentence: SCISSORS are used to cut paper.
A) Thumb
B) Scissors
C) Pearl
D) Sandwich
SILENT D
(8)
Listen and RepeatContext sentence: I only have a SANDWICH for lunch.