Extension activity
Students can use squared paper to devise their own crossword puzzles or wordsearches using words containing silent letters as the answers.
They could produce separate crosswords for each set of words on the factsheet that contain silent n, d, g, u, h, t, k, b, l and w.
Plenary
Check the class' understanding of the concept of silent letters.
Students share their poems and members of the class point out the words that contain silent letters.
Students could also swap crosswords and solve them.
Teachers' Background
Points to note:
- This activity includes words like 'almond' and 'where', which in many parts of the UK don't include a silent letter due to accent variations.
- All of the words used in defined in dictionary pronunciation notes as being silent.
- However, many dictionaries follow a southern English pronunciation and differences in regional accents mean that in some areas certain silent letters are sounded eg: 'h' in 'where'.
Silent letters factsheet
