Silent B

Learning the Silent B
Patterns of Silent B
There are two main situations where “b” is usually silent:

1. Silent B After M
   “b” after “m” at the end of a word: This is the most common rule. If a word ends in “-mb,” the “b” is almost always silent.
   Examples: Lamb, Climb, Dumb, Comb, Thumb
   
2. Silent B Before T
   The B is silent when it comes before T in certain words.
   Examples: Debt, Doubt, Subtle
   

Important Exceptions and Notes:

1. If the “-mb-” is not at the end of the word, the “b” is usually pronounced. For example, in the word “number,” the “b” is pronounced. One exception is the “plumber” where the b is silent.
2. Like many things in English spelling and pronunciation, there are always exceptions. However, the two rules above cover the vast majority of cases.

The following diagram shows some words with the silent b. Practice saying these words. Scroll down the page for more examples.

 

Silent ‘b’
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Silent Letters
Silent B	Silent C	Silent D
Silent E	Silent G	Silent GH
Silent H	Silent K	Silent L
Silent T	Silent W

Learn the Sounds of the Letters

Learning Short Vowels

Short Vowels
Short A	Short E	Short I
Short O	Short U	Short Vowels

Learning Long Vowels

Long Vowels
Long A	Long E	Long I
Long O	Long U	Y (vowel)
Long Vowels	Short, Long Vowels

Compare Short & Long Vowels

Short & Long Vowels
Short & Long A	Short & Long E	Short & Long I
Short & Long O	Short & Long U	Short I & Long E

Learning Consonants

Consonants
Letter B	Hard C	Soft C
Letter D	Letter F	Hard G
Soft G	Letter H	Letter J
Letter K	Letter L	Letter M
Letter N	Letter P	Letter Q
Letter R	Letter S	Letter T
Letter V	Letter W	Letter X
Letter Y	Letter Z	S & Z Sounds

Consonant Blends
BL Sound	CL Sound	FL Sound
GL Sound	PL Sound	SL Sound
BR Sound	CR Sound	DR Sound
FR Sound	GR Sound	PR Sound
TR Sound	SK Sound	SN Sound
SP Sound	ST Sound
3-letter Blends Str, Spr, Scr, Str, Shr, Spl, Thr	Ending Blends Nd, Nt, Nk, St, Ft, Lp, Ld, Lt, Mp, Sk

Try the free Mathway calculator and problem solver below to practice various math topics. Try the given examples, or type in your own problem and check your answer with the step-by-step explanations.

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