Find the Silent Letter
Read each word out loud. Cross out the letter or letters you don't hear. Then write the word on the line.
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This is sheet #160224601.
How to do it
- Read the word out loud.
- Cross out the letter or letters you don't hear.
- Write the word on the line.
Teaching tip
Say the word slowly while pointing to each letter to find the one with no sound. This sheet is aligned with Common Core RF.3.3.
About this worksheet
Words like knee, write, lamb, light, listen and honest. Cross out the silent letters, then write each word. Fewer, Standard or More give 9, 12 or 15 words. Includes an answer key.
What kids practice
These are the spelling patterns that show up more and more in longer words: soft c and g, silent letters, -tion and -sion, -tch and -dge, oi and oy, ou and ow, au and aw, and -ture. The pages use real words and a plain, grown-up look, so they work for third graders and for older students who are still filling in a few patterns.
Watch for
- Reading the c in city or the g in gem with a hard sound. Check the letter that comes next.
- Sounding out silent letters, like the k in knee or the b in lamb.
- Spelling the /ch/ and /j/ sounds at the end of a word without checking the vowel before them, like writing mach for match.
It's free to print, with Fewer, Standard or More on the page and an answer key. See the full advanced phonics patterns guide for 3rd grade.
More sheets in this set
- See it all
1. Advanced Phonics Patterns ChartEight patterns on one page, each with a short rule and example words with the pattern in color: soft c and g, silent letters, -tion and -sion, -tch and -dge, oi and oy, ou and ow, au and aw, and -ture. 
2. Soft or Hard c and g?A word box to sort into four columns: soft c, hard c, soft g and hard g. Fewer, Standard or More give 12, 16 or 20 words. Includes an answer key.
4. -tion or -sion?Sentences with words like vacation, question, vision and television missing their ending. Fewer, Standard or More give 6, 8 or 10 sentences. Includes an answer key.
5. -tch or -dge?Sentences with words like catch, beach, bridge and page missing their ending, with the short vowel rule at the top. Fewer, Standard or More give 6, 8 or 10 sentences. Includes an answer key.
6. oi or oy? ou or ow?Sentences with words like coin, toy, cloud and cow missing two letters. Fewer, Standard or More give 6, 8 or 10 sentences. Includes an answer key.
7. Pattern Fluency LinesRows of six words that share a pattern, with the pattern in color, and a place to time the whole page three times. Fewer, Standard or More give 6, 8 or 10 rows.
8. Pattern SentencesShort sentences packed with pattern words, like "A brown owl sat on the ledge near the kitchen." Fewer, Standard or More give 5, 7 or 9 sentences. Includes an answer key.