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Question

Difficulty: MediumConsonant Sounds

Complete the statements below regarding silent consonant letters in English words.

Answer:In the word *pneumonia*, the initial silent consonant letter is 【p】, while in the word *indict*, the unpronounced consonant letter is 【c】.

Answer

The initial silent consonant letter in 'pneumonia' is 'p', and the silent consonant letter in 'indict' is 'c'.
In the word *pneumonia*, the initial letter 'p' is silent as the word begins phonetically with /n/. In *indict*, the letter 'c' is silent, resulting in the pronunciation /ɪnˈdaɪt/.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the pronunciation and spelling of the word 'pneumonia'.
The word is pronounced starting with the nasal consonant sound /n/ (/njuːˈməʊ.ni.ə/). The letter 'p' is silent.
In Greek-derived English words starting with the consonant digraph 'pn-', the initial letter 'p' is unarticulated.
2
Analyze the pronunciation and spelling of the word 'indict'.
The word is pronounced /ɪnˈdaɪt/, rhyming with 'ite'. The letter 'c' is not pronounced.
The letter 'c' in 'indict' was added historically to reflect Latin origins but remains silent in English speech.

Key Concept

Silent Consonants in English Orthography
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Consonant Sounds

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