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Difficulty: MediumSilent Letters

Complete the statement below by identifying the correct silent consonant letters in standard English pronunciation.

Answer:In the word 'pseudonym', the silent consonant letter at the beginning is 【p】, whereas in the word 'subtle', the silent consonant letter is 【b】.

Answer

The silent letter in 'pseudonym' is 'p', and the silent letter in 'subtle' is 'b'.
The word 'pseudonym' is pronounced /ˈsjuːdənɪm/, making 'p' the unpronounced consonant letter at the start. The word 'subtle' is pronounced /ˈsʌtl/, making 'b' the unpronounced consonant letter before 't'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Examine the phonetic transcription and sound structure of 'pseudonym'.
The word is pronounced as /ˈsjuːdənɪm/, which begins with the /s/ sound, leaving the letter 'p' unpronounced.
In standard English orthography, Greek-derived words beginning with the prefix cluster 'ps-' (such as pseudonym, psychology, psalm) drop the initial /p/ sound during articulation.
2
Examine the phonetic transcription and sound structure of 'subtle'.
The word is pronounced as /ˈsʌtl/, which omits the /b/ sound entirely.
In words containing the silent '-bt-' combination (such as subtle, doubt, debt), the letter 'b' remains silent in standard Received Pronunciation (RP).

Key Concept

Identification of silent consonant letters in standard English pronunciation.
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Silent Letters

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