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Question

Difficulty: HardSilent Letters

Pair each listed vocabulary item on the left with the correct silent consonant letter that remains unarticulated in standard Received Pronunciation.

  • diaphragmSilent letter 'g'
  • mortgageSilent letter 't'
  • pseudonymSilent letter 'p'
  • debrisSilent letter 's'

Answer

'diaphragm' pairs with Silent letter 'g'; 'mortgage' pairs with Silent letter 't'; 'pseudonym' pairs with Silent letter 'p'; 'debris' pairs with Silent letter 's'.
Each target word features a distinct unarticulated consonant letter in standard RP: 'diaphragm' contains a silent 'g', 'mortgage' contains a silent 't', 'pseudonym' contains a silent 'p', and 'debris' contains a silent 's'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the phonetic transcription of 'diaphragm'.
The word is transcribed phonetically as /ˈdaɪəfræm/, demonstrating that 'g' is unpronounced before 'm'.
Determine which consonant sound is omitted in 'diaphragm'.
2
Examine the spoken articulation of 'mortgage'.
The word is transcribed as /ˈmɔːɡɪdʒ/, showing the complete omission of the sound for the letter 't'.
Identify the silent consonant in 'mortgage'.
3
Evaluate the initial consonant cluster in 'pseudonym'.
The word is transcribed as /ˈsjuːdənɪm/, where initial 'p' before 's' is unarticulated.
Identify the silent consonant in 'pseudonym'.
4
Check the terminal letter sound in 'debris'.
The word is transcribed as /ˈdebriː/, confirming the final 's' is unpronounced.
Identify the silent consonant in 'debris'.

Key Concept

Identification of unarticulated (silent) consonant letters in standard Received Pronunciation (RP) across Greek, French, and Latinate loanwords.
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Topics

Silent Letters

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