English // Spelling & Word Study

Silent Letters in Words

Spell words containing silent letters that are remnants of earlier pronunciation or etymology, recognising common silent-letter patterns and using word origins to remember them

Ages
9 to 10
Type
Method
Builds on
1 topic
Leads to
0 topics
Standards
2 codes

Quick check

When the learner writes words that have silent letters — like "knight," "wrap," or "lamb" — do they remember to include the silent letter even though you can't hear it?

Ask this to see whether the topic is secure.

Topic // Mastery

What mastery looks like

What a learner can do once this topic is secure.
  • Identify and spell words with silent initial consonants: knight, know, write, wrap, gnaw, psalm, applying knowledge that these letters were once pronounced
  • Spell words with silent internal letters: doubt (b), island (s), muscle (c), solemn (n), using etymological connections to aid memory (e.g. doubt from Latin dubitare)
  • Use word families and etymology to remember silent letters, e.g. sign is related to signal where the g is pronounced

Topic // Map

Where this fits

What to learn first and what this topic opens up, with the reason for each link. Required links come first.
  • RequiredMust come first
  • HelpfulHelps, but not essential

Before this

1 topic
  • Spellings from Greek, French and LatinRequired

    Spelling & Word Study // Ages 8 to 10

    Silent letters are remnants of etymology; etymological spelling pattern knowledge provides the framework for understanding why letters are present but silent

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Silent Letters in Words

Ages 9 to 10 // Method

Leads to

0 topics

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Topic // Standards

Curriculum standards

Codes for the curriculum statements this topic maps to. Each publisher owns its standard text.
The national curriculum in England: Key stages 1 and 2 framework document
Eng.UKS2.Write.Trans.Spell.2Eng_App1_Sp_Y56_10

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