Spelling-Meaning Links: Silent Letters Revealed

Use related words to explain silent letters, such as the g in sign and signature.

Why does 'sign' have a silent g? Because English spelling often preserves meaning instead of sound. Say 'signature' and 'signal' aloud and the g appears. The spelling keeps the g in 'sign' so the whole family looks related. This is the spelling-meaning connection: words that are related in meaning are often related in spelling, even when their pronunciations differ.

Other examples: the silent c in 'muscle' is heard in 'muscular'; the silent n in 'autumn' is heard in 'autumnal'; the silent g in 'design' is heard in 'designate'; the silent b in 'bomb' is heard in 'bombard'. This works in two directions. When spelling, if you are unsure about a silent letter, think of a relative where it is pronounced. When reading, if you see an unfamiliar word like 'condemnation', you can notice it contains 'condemn' and borrow that meaning. The silent letter is a clue, not a mistake.

• 1Related words often keep the same spelling even when sounds change.
• 2A silent letter is often heard in a related word.
• 3Use a relative to spell or read the tricky word.