Silent Letters

31 questions

Question 1Question

While the consonant letter 'b' is silent in several English words following 'm' or preceding 't', it is fully voiced in others. In which of the following words is the letter 'b' articulated?

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Answer: timber

Answer

The letter 'b' is fully articulated in the word 'timber'.
In the word 'timber', the letter 'b' forms an articulated consonant sound /b/ between the syllables (/ˈtɪm-bər/). Unlike derivatives formed by adding suffixes to silent '-mb' roots (such as 'plumb' + '-er'), 'timber' is a distinct root word where the 'b' is voiced.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the silent 'b' rule in English phonology.
The letter 'b' is typically silent when it appears at the end of a root word following 'm' (e.g., comb, dumb, lamb, plumber) or before 't' in certain Latinate derivations (e.g., subtle, debt, doubt).
Understanding the environments where silent letters occur allows accurate identification of exceptions.
2
Examine the phonetic transcription of each given option.
'plumber' is pronounced /ˈplʌmər/ (silent 'b'), 'succumb' is pronounced /səˈkʌm/ (silent 'b'), 'subtle' is pronounced /ˈsʌtl/ (silent 'b'), and 'timber' is pronounced /ˈtɪmbər/ (articulated 'b').
Verifying the presence of the voiced bilabial plosive /b/ sound isolates the correct word.

Key Concept

Articulated versus Silent Consonant Patterns
Question 2Question

Unlike their root forms where certain consonant letters are silent, some derivative words require the consonant sound to be articulated. In which of the following words is the consonant letter 'g' pronounced?

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Answer: resignation

Answer

The word 'resignation' is the correct choice because the letter 'g' is voiced as /ɡ/ in its pronunciation (/ˌrɛzɪɡˈneɪʃn/).
The correct option is 'resignation'. Although the base verb 'resign' has a silent letter 'g', the derivative noun 'resignation' articulates the letter 'g' as the voiced consonant sound /ɡ/ (/ˌrɛzɪɡˈneɪʃn/).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the phonetic pronunciation of each given word containing the spelling letter 'g'.
Identify whether 'g' represents a silent letter or an articulated consonant sound in each word.
English spelling includes words where specific consonants become voiced only in certain derivative grammatical forms.
2
Evaluate 'paradigm', 'diaphragm', and 'phlegm'.
All three words feature a silent 'g' preceding the final nasal consonant 'm' (/m/).
The spelling pattern '-gm' at the end of root words renders the letter 'g' unarticulated.
3
Examine 'resignation' alongside its root verb 'resign'.
While 'g' is silent in 'resign' (/rɪˈzaɪn/), the addition of the suffix '-ation' causes the 'g' to be explicitly pronounced as /ɡ/ (/ˌrɛzɪɡˈneɪʃn/).
Morphological derivation can shift syllable stress and cause previously unpronounced letters to become articulated consonants.

Key Concept

Alternation between silent and articulated consonants across morphological derivatives
Estimated Time:1m 15s
Question 3Question

Match each word on the left with the correct silent consonant letter present in its standard Received Pronunciation.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

pneumonia
align
solemn
castle

Matches

Show answer & explanation

Answer

'pneumonia' matches Silent letter 'p', 'align' matches Silent letter 'g', 'solemn' matches Silent letter 'n', and 'castle' matches Silent letter 't'.
Each word contains an unarticulated consonant letter governed by regular English phonological rules: initial 'p' is silent in 'pneumonia', 'g' is silent in 'align', final 'n' is silent in 'solemn', and medial 't' is silent in 'castle'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Examine the phonetic structure of 'pneumonia'.
The word is transcribed as /njʊˈməʊniə/, showing that the initial letter 'p' is unarticulated.
Words of Greek origin starting with the consonant cluster 'pn-' leave the letter 'p' unpronounced in English.
2
Examine the phonetic structure of 'align'.
The word is transcribed as /əˈlaɪn/, showing that the letter 'g' is unarticulated.
In English orthography, the letter 'g' is silent before 'n' in word-final '-ign' patterns.
3
Examine the phonetic structure of 'solemn'.
The word is transcribed as /ˈsɒləm/, showing that the final letter 'n' is unarticulated.
When a word ends in the consonant combination '-mn', the trailing letter 'n' remains silent.
4
Examine the phonetic structure of 'castle'.
The word is transcribed as /ˈkɑːsl/, showing that the letter 't' is unarticulated.
In words ending with '-stle', the letter 't' is elided between the /s/ sound and syllabic /l/.

Key Concept

Identifying unpronounced consonant letters across standard English spelling patterns
Question 4Question

In which of the following words is the consonant letter 'h' fully pronounced?

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Answer: inherit

Answer

In the word 'inherit', the consonant letter 'h' is fully pronounced.
In the word 'inherit', the letter 'h' is fully articulated as the glottal fricative sound /h/ (/ɪnˈherɪt/). By contrast, the letter 'h' is silent in 'vehicle' (/ˈviːəkl/), 'exhibit' (/ɪɡˈzɪbɪt/), and 'shepherd' (/ˈʃepəd/).

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Examine the phonetic transcription of each word in standard Received Pronunciation (RP).
Determine whether the letter 'h' corresponds to an articulated consonant sound /h/ or remains unpronounced.
Identifying silent letters requires analyzing standard English phonetic transcriptions.
2
Evaluate the pronunciations of 'vehicle', 'exhibit', and 'shepherd'.
'vehicle' is pronounced /ˈviːəkl/, 'exhibit' is pronounced /ɪɡˈzɪbɪt/, and 'shepherd' is pronounced /ˈʃepəd/. In all three words, the letter 'h' is silent.
Etymological origins and phonetic environments leave 'h' unarticulated in these terms.
3
Evaluate the pronunciation of 'inherit'.
'inherit' is transcribed as /ɪnˈherɪt/, where the /h/ sound is explicitly articulated at the beginning of the second syllable.
The consonant sound /h/ is voiced in the stressed second syllable of 'inherit'.

Key Concept

Distinguishing between articulated and silent consonant letters
Question 5Question

Complete the sentence below by identifying the unpronounced consonant letters in the specified words.

Fill in the blanks below

In the word 'doubt', the letter is silent, whereas in the word 'knife', the letter is silent.
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Answer

The silent consonant letter in 'doubt' is 'b', and the silent consonant letter in 'knife' is 'k'.
In the word 'doubt', the letter 'b' is silent. In the word 'knife', the initial letter 'k' preceding 'n' is silent.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Examine the phonetic transcription of 'doubt'.
The word is pronounced /daʊt/, in which the letter 'b' is not articulated.
Identify the unpronounced consonant in 'doubt'.
2
Examine the phonetic transcription of 'knife'.
The word is pronounced /naɪf/, in which the initial letter 'k' before 'n' is not articulated.
Identify the unpronounced consonant in 'knife'.

Key Concept

Silent Consonants in English Phonetics
Question 6Question

In which of the following words is the consonant letter 'b' silent when pronounced?

Show answer & explanation

Answer: subtle

Answer

The word with a silent consonant 'b' is 'subtle'.
In the word 'subtle', the letter 'b' is completely unpronounced (phonetically transcribed as /sʌtl/). Therefore, 'subtle' contains a silent 'b'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Examine the phonetic transcription of each word to locate unpronounced consonants.
The word 'subtle' is transcribed as /sʌtl/, showing that the letter 'b' is not voiced before 't'.
In English words like 'subtle' or 'doubt', the letter 'b' preceding 't' is silent.

Key Concept

Silent Consonants ('b' before 't')
Question 7Question

Identify the word in which the letter 'p' is left unpronounced.

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Answer: Receipt

Answer

Receipt
In the word 'receipt' (/rɪˈsiːt/), the letter 'p' is silent and not articulated in standard English pronunciation.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Examine the phonetic breakdown of each option.
'Receipt' is transcribed phonetically as /rɪˈsiːt/.
The consonant letter 'p' is silent and not pronounced when speaking the word.

Key Concept

Silent Letters in English Pronunciation
Question 8Question

Match each of the following words on the left with the silent consonant letter contained within its standard English pronunciation on the right.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

Apostle
Phlegm
Indict
Subtle

Matches

Show answer & explanation

Answer

'Apostle' pairs with 'Silent letter t', 'Phlegm' pairs with 'Silent letter g', 'Indict' pairs with 'Silent letter c', and 'Subtle' pairs with 'Silent letter b'.
Each word contains an unpronounced (silent) consonant letter in standard British English pronunciation (RP): 'apostle' (/əˈpɒs.əl/) contains silent 't', 'phlegm' (/flem/) contains silent 'g', 'indict' (/ɪnˈdaɪt/) contains silent 'c', and 'subtle' (/ˈsʌt.əl/) contains silent 'b'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the phonetic transcription of 'apostle'
The phonetic spelling is /əˈpɒs.əl/, showing that the letter 't' is silent.
Identify the unarticulated consonant sound in 'apostle'.
2
Analyze the phonetic transcription of 'phlegm'
The phonetic spelling is /flem/, showing that the letter 'g' is silent.
Determine which letter is omitted in pronunciation for 'phlegm'.
3
Analyze the phonetic transcription of 'indict'
The phonetic spelling is /ɪnˈdaɪt/, indicating that 'c' is not pronounced.
Identify the unarticulated letter in 'indict'.
4
Analyze the phonetic transcription of 'subtle'
The phonetic spelling is /ˈsʌt.əl/, demonstrating that 'b' is silent.
Match 'subtle' with its unpronounced consonant sound.

Key Concept

Identification of Silent Consonants in Received Pronunciation
Question 9Question

Match each English word on the left with the correct silent consonant letter contained within its pronunciation on the right.

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

Apostle
Plumber
Receipt
Chalk

Matches

Show answer & explanation

Answer

Apostle matches Silent 't', Plumber matches Silent 'b', Receipt matches Silent 'p', and Chalk matches Silent 'l'.
Each word pairs uniquely with its unpronounced consonant sound: 'apostle' omits the sound of 't', 'plumber' omits 'b', 'receipt' omits 'p', and 'chalk' omits 'l'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Examine the phonetic transcription and pronunciation of each given word.
Apostle contains an unpronounced 't'; Plumber contains an unpronounced 'b'; Receipt contains an unpronounced 'p'; Chalk contains an unpronounced 'l'.
English orthography includes historic silent letters that are not articulated in standard speech.
2
Pair each word with its respective unarticulated letter feature.
Correct pairings are established based on standard Oral English rules.
Matching each word to its specific silent letter accurately demonstrates phonetic analysis.

Key Concept

Identification of unarticulated (silent) consonant letters in English words
Question 10Question

In which of the following words is the consonant letter 'g' articulated in standard English pronunciation?

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Answer: signature

Answer

signature
The word 'signature' articulates the letter 'g' as the voiced velar plosive /ɡ/ (pronounced /ˈsɪɡ.nə.tʃər/). Although the base word 'sign' has a silent 'g', the derivative form shifts pronunciation to articulate the consonant sound.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the phonetic pronunciation of each word containing the consonant letter 'g'.
'signature' is pronounced /ˈsɪɡ.nə.tʃər/, 'paradigm' is pronounced /ˈpær.ə.daɪm/, 'phlegm' is pronounced /flem/, and 'campaign' is pronounced /kæmˈpeɪn/.
Identifying the presence or absence of the /ɡ/ sound in the phonetic transcriptions reveals which consonant is articulated versus silent.
2
Compare morphological shifts between base words and their derivatives.
While 'sign' has a silent 'g' (/saɪn/), adding the suffix '-ature' in 'signature' causes the silent 'g' to become articulated as /ɡ/.
JAMB UTME frequently tests morphological alternations where silent letters in base forms become audible in related derivative forms.

Key Concept

Morphological Sound Alternation in Silent Consonants
Estimated Time:45s
Question 11Question

In which of the following words is the letter 'l' silent when pronounced?

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Answer: salmon

Answer

The word 'salmon' is the correct choice because the letter 'l' is unpronounced in standard English.
In standard English pronunciation, the word 'salmon' omits the sound of the letter 'l' entirely, rendering it /ˈsæm.ən/.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the phonetic transcription of each given option
Identify how the consonant 'l' behaves in each word.
Determining phonetic articulation reveals unpronounced letters.
2
Examine the pronunciation of 'salmon'
The word is pronounced as /ˈsæm.ən/ without any /l/ sound.
The letter 'l' is silent in 'salmon'.
3
Examine the remaining words ('silver', 'filter', 'valve')
The consonant /l/ is clearly pronounced in all three words.
These options feature an active, articulated 'l' sound.

Key Concept

Silent Consonant Sounds
Question 12Question

Identify the unpronounced consonant letter in the given word to complete the sentence.

Fill in the blanks below

In the pronunciation of the word phlegm, the silent consonant letter is .
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Answer

The silent consonant letter in the word 'phlegm' is 'g'.
In the word 'phlegm', which is phonetically transcribed as /flem/, the consonant letter 'g' is completely unpronounced.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Examine the phonetic transcription of the word 'phlegm'.
The phonetic transcription is /flem/.
Phonetic transcriptions reveal which written letters correspond to spoken sounds.
2
Compare the spelling of 'phlegm' with its spoken phonetic components /flem/.
The letter 'g' has no corresponding phonetic sound in the spoken form.
A letter that appears in written orthography but is not articulated in speech is classified as a silent letter.

Key Concept

Silent Consonant Identification
Estimated Time:45s
Question 13Question

In Oral English, several loanwords and Latinate terms contain consonant letters that are entirely omitted in standard Received Pronunciation. Which silent consonant letters complete the phonetic analysis of the target words below?

Fill in the blanks below

In the nobility title 'viscount', the unarticulated consonant letter is , whereas in the legal verb 'indict', the unarticulated consonant letter is .
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Answer

The silent consonant letter in 'viscount' is 's', and the silent consonant letter in 'indict' is 'c'.
In standard English pronunciation, 'viscount' is pronounced /ˈvaɪkaʊnt/, leaving the letter 's' unpronounced. Similarly, 'indict' is pronounced /ɪnˈdaɪt/, where the letter 'c' is silent due to historical Latinate spelling additions.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the phonetic transcription of 'viscount'
The word 'viscount' is transcribed phonetically as /ˈvaɪkaʊnt/. The letter 's' produces no sound, while 'c' represents the audible /k/ sound.
Comparing orthography with phonetic transcription isolates the silent letter.
2
Analyze the phonetic transcription of 'indict'
The word 'indict' is transcribed phonetically as /ɪnˈdaɪt/. The letter 'c' is completely unpronounced.
Identifying the missing phonetic segment reveals the unarticulated letter.

Key Concept

Silent Consonant Identification in Latinate and French Loanwords
Question 14Question

Which of the following words contains a silent consonant letter 't' in its standard English pronunciation?

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Answer: chasten

Answer

The word 'chasten' contains a silent consonant letter 't'.
In standard Received Pronunciation and English phonology, the verb 'chasten' is pronounced as /ˈtʃeɪs.ən/. The consonant letter 't' is silent, just as it is in related verbal endings such as 'fasten' and 'listen'.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the phonetic transcription of the target word 'chasten'.
The standard pronunciation is /ˈtʃeɪs.ən/, where the letter 't' is omitted in speech.
English words ending in the suffix pattern '-sten' (e.g., listen, fasten, christen, chasten) regularly feature an unpronounced 't'.
2
Examine the distractor options for consonant articulation.
'Bestial' (/ˈbes.ti.əl/), 'pistol' (/ˈpɪs.təl/), and 'postal' (/ˈpəʊ.stəl/) all retain the audible articulation of the letter 't'.
These words maintain the /t/ sound despite sharing spelling similarities (-st-) with words containing silent consonants.

Key Concept

Identification of unpronounced consonant letters in standard English speech patterns
Question 15Question

In English phonology, certain words contain unpronounced consonant letters depending on their etymological origin and phonetic environment. Which of the following word pairs consists of words that BOTH contain a silent consonant letter?

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Answer: sword and answer

Answer

The pair 'sword and answer' consists of words that both contain a silent consonant letter.
In standard English pronunciation, both 'sword' (/sɔːd/) and 'answer' (/ˈɑːnsər/) contain a silent 'w'. Neither word articulates the 'w' sound in standard Received Pronunciation.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the phonetic pronunciation of each word in the given pairs.
Identify whether the targeted consonant in each word is articulated or silent in standard English (RP).
Determining silent consonants requires checking the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) transcriptions of standard English pronunciations.
2
Evaluate the pair containing 'sword' and 'answer'.
'sword' is transcribed as /sɔːd/ (silent 'w') and 'answer' is transcribed as /ˈɑːnsər/ (silent 'w').
Both words completely omit the sound of the letter 'w' during standard articulation.
3
Evaluate the remaining options to identify misarticulations.
'crumble' (/ˈkrʌmbəl/), 'inherit' (/ɪnˈherɪt/), and 'symptom' (/ˈsɪmptəm/) all articulate their respective consonant sounds ('b', 'h', and 'p').
A common misconception is assuming that related or visually similar words share silent consonant rules.

Key Concept

Silent Consonants in Word Pairs
Question 16Question

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

Fill in the blanks below

In the word 'pseudonym', the silent consonant letter at the beginning is , whereas in the word 'subtle', the silent consonant letter is .
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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
Question 17Question

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

Click a left item, then click its matching right item

Items

diaphragm
mortgage
pseudonym
debris

Matches

Show answer & explanation

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.
Question 18Question

In English phonology, certain consonant letters remain unarticulated depending on their phonetic environment and etymological origin. In which of the following words is the consonant letter 'b' fully articulated in standard Received Pronunciation?

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Answer: crumble

Answer

The consonant letter 'b' is fully articulated in 'crumble' (/ˈkrʌm.bəl/). In 'aplomb', 'succumb', and 'redoubt', the letter 'b' remains silent.
In standard Received Pronunciation, the word 'crumble' is pronounced /ˈkrʌm.bəl/, in which the letter 'b' is voiced and fully articulated. Although the letter 'b' is unpronounced in the root form 'crumb' (/krʌm/), adding the syllabic '-le' suffix creates a voiced plosive onset /b/.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the phonetic environment of letter 'b' in each option
Identify whether 'b' occurs in a silent context (such as terminal '-mb' or '-bt-') or an articulated syllable onset/cluster.
In standard Received Pronunciation, 'b' is routinely silent after 'm' at syllable boundaries (as in 'tomb', 'plumber', 'aplomb', 'succumb') and before 't' in certain Latinate loanwords (as in 'debt', 'doubt', 'redoubt').
2
Examine the pronunciation of 'aplomb', 'succumb', and 'redoubt'
'aplomb' is transcribed as /əˈplɒm/, 'succumb' as /səˈkʌm/, and 'redoubt' as /rɪˈdaʊt/. All three feature an unarticulated letter 'b'.
Audible articulation of 'b' in these terms represents a spelling-pronunciation misconception.
3
Examine the pronunciation of 'crumble'
'crumble' is transcribed as /ˈkrʌm.bəl/, where /b/ forms the onset of the second syllable.
Although 'b' is silent in the base noun 'crumb' (/krʌm/), the suffixation of '-le' alters the phonetic environment, requiring explicit articulation of the consonant /b/.

Key Concept

Silent Consonants and Phonetic Environment Constraints
Estimated Time:1m 30s
Question 19Question

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

Show answer & explanation

Answer: cupboard

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
Question 20Question

Identify the unarticulated consonant letters in the specified English words to complete the statement below.

Fill in the blanks below

In standard English pronunciation, the word *indict* contains a silent letter , whereas the word *cupboard* contains an unpronounced letter .
Show answer & explanation

Answer

The silent letter in *indict* is c, and the silent letter in *cupboard* is p.
In standard Received Pronunciation, *indict* is pronounced /ɪnˈdaɪt/, leaving the letter 'c' unarticulated. Similarly, *cupboard* is pronounced /ˈkʌbəd/, where the letter 'p' is silent.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the phonetic transcription of the word *indict*.
The word *indict* is transcribed as /ɪnˈdaɪt/. The letter 'c' is not pronounced.
Although retained in spelling due to its Latin origin, the consonant sound /k/ is silent.
2
Analyze the phonetic transcription of the word *cupboard*.
The word *cupboard* is transcribed as /ˈkʌbəd/. The letter 'p' is unarticulated.
Through phonetic assimilation before the voiced plosive /b/, the bilabial plosive 'p' remains completely silent.

Key Concept

Silent Letters in English Phonology
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