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Question

Difficulty: MediumSilent Letters

Unlike words in which every written consonant is articulated, one of the words below contains an unpronounced letter 'p'. Which word is it?

  1. A
    napkin
  2. B
    dispute
  3. cupboardAnswer
  4. D
    captive

Answer

The word 'cupboard' contains a silent letter 'p'.
In standard Received Pronunciation, the word 'cupboard' is pronounced as /ˈkʌb.əd/. The letter 'p' is completely unarticulated (silent) as the bilabial plosive assimilates into the voiced sound /b/.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the phonetic pronunciation of each word option in standard English (Received Pronunciation).
Identify whether the written letter 'p' corresponds to an articulated sound /p/ or is silent.
English spelling contains historical Silent Letters where graphic consonants are omitted in speech.
2
Examine 'napkin', 'dispute', and 'captive'.
The sound /p/ is clearly produced in all three words (/ˈnæp.kɪn/, /dɪˈspjuːt/, /ˈkæp.tɪv/).
The consonant cluster maintains full articulation of 'p'.
3
Examine 'cupboard'.
The phonetic transcription is /ˈkʌb.əd/, where the written 'p' is completely unpronounced and assimilates into /b/.
In compound word development, the 'p' sound in 'cup' combined with 'board' became silent over time.

Key Concept

Silent Consonant Letters in Oral English
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Topics

Silent Letters

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