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free printable silent w words list

60 Silent W Words with Pictures

English Pronunciation Activities
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Silent W Words

Here we a looking at another consonant in the English language that is often not pronounced. There are many words with a silent W that are commonly used, as well as few that are spoken more infrequently.

The most usual instance in which we don’t voice the W is when it is followed by the letter R at the start of a word. For example, write, wrap and wrist. This is the easiest silent W to identify because it is always the case.

Sometimes, the W can be silent when it is followed by an H and O. Think of the words whole, who, and whom. This is not always the case though, in words such as whoops and whopper, the W is not silent at all.

Then we have the silent W words of sword, answer, and two. They are quite unusual and follow no rules at all. There are also some cases of a silent W being mistaken, which we will get to later.

Silent W words list

Below is a list of 78 words with a silent W. You can also download the free PDF with 60 words at the top of the page.

answer
answerable
bewray
playwright
sword
two
who
whodunit
whole
wholehearted
wholeness
wholesale
wholesome
wholism
wholly
whom
whomever
whose
whosesoever
whoso
wrack
wraith
wraithlike
wrangle
wrangler
wrap

wraparound
wrapper
wraprascal
wrasse
wrath
wrathful
wrathier
wrathy
wrawl
wreak
wreath
wreathe
wreathy
wreck
wreckage
wreckfish
wren
wrench
wrenching
wrenthrush
wrest
wrestle
wretch
wretched
wrick
wriggle

wriggler
wrinkle
wrinkleproof
wring
wringer
wringbolt
wrist
wristlet
wristwatch
writ
writable
write
write-off
writhe
written
wrong
wrongdoer
wrongful
wrongheaded
wrote
wroth
wrought
wrung
wry
wryneck
wryness

There are many words that are also mistaken for having a silent W. If we look at the word “sparrow” for instance, it appears that we do not pronounce the W. In such cases the OW is known as a diphthong and therefore not a silent W. Similar words are window, know, knowledge (OW), awful, awry (AW), and sew (EW).

Another interesting one is the word “toward”. Some North American speakers completely omit the W and for them it becomes silent.

Silent W words with pictures

Below are some flashcards that can be used for learning games and pronunciation exercises for teaching the silent W.

silent w words pictures
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A great activity is asking learners to identify silent letters. This works best when you mix these picture cards with other silent-letter flashcards. You can find many on this site, including those for – 

You can also print several sets of the pictures for activities such as matching and memory games.

words with s silent w pictures
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Interesting Words That Use A Silent W

There are some lesser-known words in the list above that some folks may not be aware of. These include – 

Bewray – This is an old word that is similar to betray. It can also mean to reveal or accuse.

Wraprascal – This is an overcoat that people often wore while riding horses in the 18th century.

Wrawl – To wrawl is to howl or cry.

Wreckfish –  This large fish is a kind of grouper that lives in the Atlantic Ocean. Some people also call it a stone bass.

Wrenthrush – This bird is not a wren or a thrush; it is considered to be close to a warbler and lives in the forests of Costa Rica and Panama.

Wrick – This can be a verb or a noun. It is a painful sprain or muscle spasm.

Wristlet – This is a small (usually women’s) bag that is carried on the wrist.

Wryneck – This small bird is a member of the woodpecker family.

Practice sentences

Try these practice sentences and see if learners can easily recognise the silent Ws.

William was writing to answer his wife.

That’s the wrong wristwatch, said Wendy.

We wrestled near the wreck on Wednesday.

Who wants two swords?

Few in the whole class wrote wrong answers.

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