100+ Silent G words list and pictures(PDF)

Just about every letter has occasions when it becomes silent in pronunciation of the English language and the letter G is no exception.

For English language learners, it is not easily apparent when or when not to voice some letters. These instances often need to be taught as they have some obscure rules and exceptions. Here we have some resources to help you and your students on the journey of mastering silent G words.

The letter G is often silent when it is followed by the letter N (But not always!). When suffixes are added to the end of these words the G can sometimes be pronounced. for example –

Sign – Signature

Resign – Resignation

There are also other exceptions such as – ignore, signet, magnet, and ignite to name a few.

We also get a silent G in English words when it is followed by an H. In many cases, these words end with a pronounced /f/ sound. Again you will come across anomalies, especially in compound nouns and words that begin with GH. Some examples are – ghost, gherkin, foghorn, egghead, and spaghetti.

Finally, there are a few rare cases when G becomes silent after being accompanied by M. Think of the words phlegm, and paradigm.