Silent Letters: Why English Is a Hard Language to Learn
Silent letters are sprinkled into countless words in the English language. However, did you know there are many languages that do not have silent letters at all? Even more common, many languages have only a few silent letters. These facts can make learning to read English challenging.
The Nardagani Reading Program’s approach to teaching silent letters helps to make English easier to learn. How? Nardagani teaches our students that silent letters do not need another letter to say its name—each letter stands alone. For example, in the word cake, there are three sounds: C-A-K. If you pronounce the E, the word becomes “cakey.” It’s the same with bike. If you pronounce the E, it becomes “bikey.”
Silent letters confuse challenged and ESL readers constantly. Nardagani underlines the silent letters so readers can easily see them and get to know them.
Below is a list of all the letters in English that can be silent. If you are challenged by this concept, pronounce the letter that is underlined and hear how the word sounds.
Letters That Can Be Silent (17) and Examples
A: leaf, throat, read
B: subtle, thumb, doubt
C: scissors, irascible
D: friends, sounds, budget, adjust
E: nine, wave, great
G: light, sign, paradigm
H: light, when, chaos, why
I: nail, eight
K: know, knew, knee
L: yolk, would, calm
N: column, damn, solemn
O: people, work
S: island, isle
T: kitchen, listen, restlessness, castle
U: build, tongue, turtle
W: write, who, sword
Y: monkey, eye
Why Silent Letters Exist — and Why They’re So Confusing
Silent letters are one of those quirks that make English fascinating, but also deeply frustrating for learners. Historically, English borrowed words from Latin, French, and Germanic roots. Over centuries, pronunciation evolved—but spelling often stayed frozen in time.
For example:
The “k” in knight was once pronounced.
The “b” in thumb once had a soft tone.
And the “gh” in light used to sound more like the “ch” in German’s nacht.
As English evolved, those sounds disappeared—but the letters remained. Today, they serve as linguistic fossils, reminders of how the language used to sound.
That’s fascinating for historians, but a nightmare for children or non-native speakers trying to read!
The Nardagani Way: Making English Logical Again
When Narda Pitkethly developed the Nardagani Reading Program, she saw firsthand how silent letters could derail a new reader’s confidence. Her daughter—like many children and adult learners—knew the alphabet but couldn’t make sense of why some letters “did nothing.”
So Narda asked a simple question: What if we could make English reading feel more logical?
Her answer became Nardagani: a symbol-based reading system that teaches sound-letter connections using 12 easy symbols. In this system, silent letters are visually marked, so learners know immediately when not to pronounce them.
Instead of memorizing endless exceptions, readers start to see patterns—and those patterns make reading click faster.
For example:
Write becomes visually distinct from right because the silent “w” is underlined.
Calm shows its silent “l,” helping the learner move smoothly through the word.
This method works beautifully for ESL students and struggling readers because it reduces uncertainty—one of the biggest barriers to reading fluency.
Why Silent Letters Trip Up So Many Learners
Imagine trying to read in a language where you can’t trust the rules. That’s how English often feels to new readers.
Silent letters don’t follow predictable patterns. Sometimes they change the vowel sound (bake vs. back). Other times, they exist for historical reasons (debt came from Latin debitum). And occasionally, they change nothing at all (island borrowed a silent “s” just to look fancier in print).
This inconsistency means learners can’t rely purely on phonics—they need visual clues and pattern recognition. That’s why Nardagani’s visual symbol system bridges the gap: it gives learners a roadmap through the chaos of English spelling.
How Nardagani Simplifies Silent Letters for ESL Readers
For English language learners, silent letters can be especially daunting. Many languages—like Spanish or Japanese—are phonetic, meaning words are pronounced exactly as written. So when learners switch to English, they suddenly face a system where spelling and sound don’t always match.
Nardagani simplifies this by:
Highlighting silent letters so they’re not overlooked.
Breaking words into visual chunks (symbol by symbol).
Building confidence early, so learners don’t feel “tricked” by silent letters.
For example, a student learning knight won’t say “kuh-night.” The underlined “k” tells them instantly that it’s silent—no guessing needed.
A Personal Story: “I Finally Stopped Guessing”
Maria, a 42-year-old ESL learner from Brazil, described silent letters as her “biggest English headache.” She said:
“Every time I thought I understood pronunciation, another word broke the rule. I felt like I was always guessing.”
After completing the Nardagani program, Maria shared:
“When I saw the underlined letters, it made sense instantly. I didn’t have to memorize strange rules. Reading finally felt easy—and I stopped feeling stupid.”
Stories like Maria’s are common among Nardagani learners. When confusion turns into clarity, reading becomes a joy instead of a struggle.
Why This Matters
Silent letters are more than just quirky spelling—they’re one of the main reasons English is hard to learn. For children with dyslexia, adult learners returning to reading, or newcomers learning English as a second language, silent letters can feel like invisible traps.
By making them visible through underlining and consistent patterns, Nardagani transforms those traps into teachable moments. Each silent letter becomes a clue, not a problem.
It’s not just about learning to read—it’s about restoring confidence, one sound at a time.
Learn More
If you or someone you love struggles with English reading, the Nardagani Reading Program offers both online and in-person learning options.
To see the method in action, watch Narda Pitkethly’s TEDx Talk — “A New Way to Learn to Read English.”
TEDx Talk by Founder: Watch Here
Website: https://www.nardagani.com
iOS Link: App Store
Google Play Link: Play Store
Promotional Video: Watch Here
