Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-8-6-silent-letters

[Revision notes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes.md) › [Primary](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary.md) › [English](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english.md) › [English: Year 3 & 4 National Curriculum](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum.md) › Silent Letters

# Silent Letters

English: Year 3 & 4 National Curriculum, topic 2.8.6

## Spelling Rules - Silent Letters

Silent letters are letters in words that we don't hear when we say them. Here are some examples of words with silent letters that you should be able to spell:

### Psalm

![Psalm](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/96859a39-ffa9-40c9-a9e0-d874fac740e9/bible-hands-.jpg)

- The 'p' is silent in **p**salm.
- A psalm is a sacred hymn or song.

### Knight

![Knight](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/8759163c-1324-4a7f-8078-053fe35715a6/knight-1066-.jpg)

- The 'k' is silent in __k__night.

### Solemn

![Solemn](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/ec3e821c-bdcc-4011-87b1-19b3aea313c2/woman-sad-depressed-depression.jpg)

- The 'n' is silent in solem**n**.

### Column

![Column](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/memory-location-images/Luxor,%20Egypt-min.jpg)

- The 'n' is silent in colum**n**.

## Test yourself on Silent Letters

- What are __silent letters__?
- What is the silent letter in '__psalm__'?
- What is the silent letter in __'knight'__?
- What is the silent letter in __'solemn'__?

[Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/55380d04-654f-4809-93bc-7a6bae8dd341/section/3de69f9e-c429-4584-96e7-54e8124e88c4/session)

- Previous topic: [2.8.5 Spelling Words with 'Ch' & 'Sc'](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-8-5-spelling-words-with-ch-and-sc.md)
- Next topic: [2.8.7 End of Topic Test - Spelling Rules](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-8-7-end-of-topic-test-spelling-rules.md)

## English: Year 3 & 4 National Curriculum contents

### 1 Reading
- 1.1 Root Words
  - [1.1.1 Understanding New Words](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-1-1-understanding-new-words.md)
  - [1.1.2 Exception Words](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-1-2-exception-words.md)
- 1.2 Prefixes
  - [1.2.1 'Anti-' & 'Auto-'](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-2-1-anti-and-auto.md)
  - [1.2.2 Not & 'Inter-'](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-2-2-not-and-inter.md)
  - [1.2.3 'Mis-', 'Dis-' & 'Re-'](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-2-3-mis-dis-and-re.md)
  - [1.2.4 'Sub-' & 'Super-'](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-2-4-sub-and-super.md)
  - [1.2.5 End of Topic Test - Root Words & Prefixes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-2-5-end-of-topic-test-root-words-and-prefixes.md)
- 1.3 Suffixes
  - [1.3.1 Vowel Suffixes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-3-1-vowel-suffixes.md)
  - [1.3.2 Suffixes: '-ous'](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-3-2-suffixes-ous.md)
  - [1.3.3 Rules for Suffixes: '-ous'](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-3-3-rules-for-suffixes-ous.md)
  - [1.3.4 Testing - Rules for Suffixes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-3-4-testing-rules-for-suffixes.md)
  - [1.3.5 Suffixes: '-ly'](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-3-5-suffixes-ly.md)
  - [1.3.6 Suffixes: '-ation'](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-3-6-suffixes-ation.md)
  - [1.3.7 Rules for Suffixes: '-ation'](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-3-7-rules-for-suffixes-ation.md)
  - [1.3.8 Spelling: '-tion' Endings](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-3-8-spelling-tion-endings.md)
  - [1.3.9 Spelling: '-sion' Endings](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-3-9-spelling-sion-endings.md)
  - [1.3.10 Spelling: '-ssion' Endings](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-3-10-spelling-ssion-endings.md)
  - [1.3.11 Spelling: '-cian' Endings](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-3-11-spelling-cian-endings.md)
  - [1.3.12 End of Topic Test - Suffixes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/1-3-12-end-of-topic-test-suffixes.md)

### 2 Writing
- 2.1 Composition
  - [2.1.1 Effective Writing](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-1-1-effective-writing.md)
  - [2.1.2 Planning](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-1-2-planning.md)
  - [2.1.3 Drafting](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-1-3-drafting.md)
  - [2.1.4 Editing](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-1-4-editing.md)
  - [2.1.5 End of Topic Test - Writing Composition](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-1-5-end-of-topic-test-writing-composition.md)
- 2.2 Conjunctions
  - [2.2.1 Simple Sentences & Compound Sentences](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-2-1-simple-sentences-and-compound-sentences.md)
  - [2.2.2 Complex Sentences](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-2-2-complex-sentences.md)
  - [2.2.3 Coordinating Conjunctions](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-2-3-coordinating-conjunctions.md)
  - [2.2.4 Subordinating Conjunctions](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-2-4-subordinating-conjunctions.md)
  - [2.2.5 End of Topic Test - Conjunctions](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-2-5-end-of-topic-test-conjunctions.md)
- 2.3 Present Perfect Tense
  - [2.3.1 Present Perfect Tense](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-3-1-present-perfect-tense.md)
  - [2.3.2 Uses of the Present Perfect Tense](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-3-2-uses-of-the-present-perfect-tense.md)
- 2.4 Nouns
  - [2.4.1 Using Nouns & Pronouns Properly](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-4-1-using-nouns-and-pronouns-properly.md)
  - [2.4.2 End of Topic Test - Present Perfect & Nouns](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-4-2-end-of-topic-test-present-perfect-and-nouns.md)
- 2.5 Fronted Adverbials
  - [2.5.1 Saying Where, When & How Often](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-5-1-saying-where-when-and-how-often.md)
  - [2.5.2 Saying How & Why](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-5-2-saying-how-and-why.md)
  - [2.5.3 Using Commas](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-5-3-using-commas.md)
- 2.6 Direct Speech
  - [2.6.1 Direct Speech](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-6-1-direct-speech.md)
  - [2.6.2 End of Topic Test - Fronted Adverbials & Speech](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-6-2-end-of-topic-test-fronted-adverbials-and-speech.md)
- 2.7 Homophones
  - [2.7.1 Accept & Except](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-1-accept-and-except.md)
  - [2.7.2 Affect & Effect](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-2-affect-and-effect.md)
  - [2.7.3 Ball & Bawl](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-3-ball-and-bawl.md)
  - [2.7.4 Berry & Bury](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-4-berry-and-bury.md)
  - [2.7.5 Brake & Break](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-5-brake-and-break.md)
  - [2.7.6 Fair & Fare](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-6-fair-and-fare.md)
  - [2.7.7 Grate & Great](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-7-grate-and-great.md)
  - [2.7.8 Groan & Grown](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-8-groan-and-grown.md)
  - [2.7.9 Hear & Here](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-9-hear-and-here.md)
  - [2.7.10 Heal, Heel & He'll](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-10-heal-heel-and-hell.md)
  - [2.7.11 Knot & Not](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-11-knot-and-not.md)
  - [2.7.12 Mail & Male](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-12-mail-and-male.md)
  - [2.7.13 Main & Mane](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-13-main-and-mane.md)
  - [2.7.14 Meat & Meet](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-14-meat-and-meet.md)
  - [2.7.15 Medal & Meddle](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-15-medal-and-meddle.md)
  - [2.7.16 Missed & Mist](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-16-missed-and-mist.md)
  - [2.7.17 Peace & Piece](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-17-peace-and-piece.md)
  - [2.7.18 Plain & Plane](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-18-plain-and-plane.md)
  - [2.7.19 Rain & Reign & Rein](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-19-rain-and-reign-and-rein.md)
  - [2.7.20 Scene & Seen](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-20-scene-and-seen.md)
  - [2.7.21 Weather & Whether](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-21-weather-and-whether.md)
  - [2.7.22 Whose & Who's](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-22-whose-and-whos.md)
  - [2.7.23 End of Topic Test - Homophones](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-7-23-end-of-topic-test-homophones.md)
- 2.8 Spelling Rules
  - [2.8.1 Hard 'U' & 'I' Sounds](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-8-1-hard-u-and-i-sounds.md)
  - [2.8.2 Words Ending in '-Sure', '-Mure' & '-Sion'](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-8-2-words-ending-in-sure-mure-and-sion.md)
  - [2.8.3 'Ei', 'Eigh' & 'Ey' Spellings](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-8-3-ei-eigh-and-ey-spellings.md)
  - [2.8.4 Words Ending in 'G' & 'K' Sounds](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-8-4-words-ending-in-g-and-k-sounds.md)
  - [2.8.5 Spelling Words with 'Ch' & 'Sc'](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-8-5-spelling-words-with-ch-and-sc.md)
  - [2.8.6 Silent Letters](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-8-6-silent-letters.md)
  - [2.8.7 End of Topic Test - Spelling Rules](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-8-7-end-of-topic-test-spelling-rules.md)
- 2.9 Using Apostrophes
  - [2.9.1 Using Apostrophes with Regular Plurals](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-9-1-using-apostrophes-with-regular-plurals.md)
  - [2.9.2 Using Apostrophes with Irregular Plurals](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-9-2-using-apostrophes-with-irregular-plurals.md)
- 2.10 Using a Dictionary
  - [2.10.1 Using a Dictionary](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-10-1-using-a-dictionary.md)
  - [2.10.2 End of Topic Test - Apostrophes & Dictionaries](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/english/english-year-3-and-4-national-curriculum/2-10-2-end-of-topic-test-apostrophes-and-dictionaries.md)