In both of these combinations, the first letter is silent. We only
pronounce the second letter.
For example, spelling is very important if you want to write
English correctly. The common verb "write" contains an example of the wr- combination at
the beginning of the word. The w
is silent, and the r
is pronounced.
The same thing happens with the kn-
combination at the beginning of a
word.
Centuries ago, knights
wore armor and protected people.
In this word, the k
is silent, but the n
is pronounced.
Since
these two combinations are common, they are easy to recognize. Any time
you see either of these combinations at the beginning of a word in
English, you will know that the first letter is silent, and the second
letter is pronounced.
Let's look at a few more examples of words with kn- at the beginning.
Before you open a door, you should knock.
If the person inside says it is all right, you can use the knob
to open the door.
The knob is the round handle that lets you open the door. Both of these
words, "knock" and "knob," have kn-
combinations at the beginning. So, the k is silent, but we
pronounce the n.
Here are a few more common words like this:
knife
know
knit
knuckle
knot
knowledge
Now, let's look at some common words that begin with wr-.
For example, sometimes we wrap
gifts in colorful paper so that people can enjoy opening them.
The word "wrap" begins with the wr-
combination. So, the w
is silent, but the r is
pronounced.
Here are a few more common words like this:
wreck
wrist
wrinkle
writer
wrong
wrench
You
will see other examples as you continue to study English. Learning
these letter combinations is very useful because it will really help
you to pronounce and spell English words correctly.
Look at our worksheet on kn-
and wr-
letter combinations for more examples of common words.
Review
So, let's review what we have learned about the kn- and wr- letter
combinations in English:
These letter combinations are common at the beginning of
English words.