The Complete List of
English Spelling Rules
Lesson 4: Silent H
IIn this series of lessons, you will learn some useful spelling rules in English.
This lesson talks about a letter that is often, but not always, silent: the letter h.
Download a free worksheet + answer key.
The letter h is not always silent, but we will study some cases when it is not pronounced.
There is not a 100% certain rule about when you must pronounce the letter h, so be sure to check the pronunciation of new words in a dictionary if you are not sure.
Also, it is a good idea to keep a list of words with silent letters to help you remember. This article will cover the most common words with a silent h.
For example, the h is sometimes silent at the beginning of words.
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If you want to know how long something takes, you can use an hourglass. The sand moves from the top to the bottom during a certain amount of time, for example, one hour.
The h is silent at the beginning of the word hour.
Here are some more examples of words with a silent h at the beginning:
- honor
- honest
- heir
For example, if your car is not working, you must take it to the mechanic.
In this word, the h is silent. We only pronounce the sound of the letter c.
Remember that the h is only sometimes silent after the letter c. Here are some more examples of words with a silent h after the letter c to add to your list:
- chorus
- chemistry
- technology
- echo
- stomach
- school
The h is also often silent after the letter w. However, this will depend a bit on the accent of the person who is speaking.
For example, the coach uses his whistle to get the players' attention.
This silent h is common in question words and a few other common words in English:
- why
- what
- when
- where
- which
- whisper
- white
- wheel
- while
Finally, the h is also sometimes silent after the letter g, the letter r, or the ex- combination.
For example, drums are very important because they maintain the rhythm of the music.
Here are some common words with a silent h after the letter g or the letter r:
- ghost
- rhyme
- rhinoceros
- exhibit
- exhausted
You will see some more examples as you continue to study English, but these are the most common words you will find with a silent h.
Look at our worksheet on the silent h for practice and review.
Review
So, let's review what we have learned about the silent h in English:- The h is only sometimes silent.
- This happens often after the letter w at the beginning of a word.
- It also sometimes
happens after the letters c,
g, r, or ex-.
Download a free worksheet
