The letter K in English is often silent, especially when it comes before the letter N at the beginning of a word. Words like know, knife, and knee are written with K, but the sound is never pronounced. Learning the rules of silent K helps English learners improve pronunciation, spelling, and listening skills more easily.
What Is the Silent Letter K?
The term silent K refers to the letter K when it appears in a word but is not pronounced. You can see the letter in the spelling, but when speaking, you simply skip the sound.
The most common position for silent K is:
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Before the letter “N” at the beginning of words.
For example:
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knee → /niː/ (not /kniː/)
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know → /nəʊ/ (not /knəʊ/)
Rules for Silent “K”
Silent K follows a simple but important rule:
-
K is silent when it comes before N at the start of a word.
This is why you never pronounce the K in knee, know, knife, or knock.
Historical Note
Most of these words come from Old English and Old Norse. In earlier times, the K was actually pronounced. For example, “knight” used to be pronounced something like /knixt/ with a hard K. Over time, English pronunciation simplified, and the K sound disappeared, leaving it silent in modern English.
Examples of the Rule
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knife → /naɪf/
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knee → /niː/
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knock → /nɒk/
Whenever you see KN at the start of a word, remember: the K is silent, and you begin with the N sound.
Full List of Words with Silent Letter K
| Word | IPA | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| knife | /naɪf/ | She cut the bread with a sharp knife. |
| knee | /niː/ | He hurt his knee while running in the park. |
| know | /nəʊ/ | Do you know the answer to the question? |
| knock | /nɒk/ | Someone is knocking at the door. |
| knight | /naɪt/ | The brave knight saved the village. |
| knowledge | /ˈnɒlɪdʒ/ | Reading increases your knowledge of the world. |
| knot | /nɒt/ | He tied the rope into a big knot. |
| knit | /nɪt/ | My grandmother can knit beautiful sweaters. |
| kneel | /niːl/ | The boy had to kneel during the ceremony. |
| knack | /næk/ | He has a knack for fixing things. |
| knacker | /ˈnækər/ | The old horse was sent to the knacker. |
| knapsack | /ˈnæpsæk/ | She carried her books in a small knapsack. |
| knave | /neɪv/ | The story tells of a clever knave who fooled the king. |
| knead | /niːd/ | She will knead the dough before baking. |
| kneecap | /ˈniːkæp/ | He injured his kneecap during the game. |
| knell | /nɛl/ | The church bell began to knell at noon. |
| knelt | /nɛlt/ | She knelt down to tie her shoes. |
| knew | /njuː/ | I knew you would come. |
| knickers | /ˈnɪkərz/ | She bought new knickers at the shop. |
| knighthood | /ˈnaɪthʊd/ | He received knighthood for his service. |
| knitted | /ˈnɪtɪd/ | She knitted a warm scarf. |
| knitting | /ˈnɪtɪŋ/ | Knitting helps her relax. |
| knob | /nɒb/ | Turn the door knob gently. |
| knocked | /nɒkt/ | He knocked on the window to get attention. |
| knocking | /ˈnɒkɪŋ/ | I heard someone knocking late at night. |
| knockout | /ˈnɒkaʊt/ | The boxer won by knockout. |
| knoll | /nəʊl/ | They had a picnic on the grassy knoll. |
| knothole | /ˈnɒthoʊl/ | The squirrel hid nuts in a knothole. |
| knowable | /ˈnəʊəbl/ | Not everything in science is knowable. |
| knowing | /ˈnəʊɪŋ/ | She gave him a knowing smile. |
| known | /nəʊn/ | He is known for his kindness. |
| knuckle | /ˈnʌkəl/ | He cracked his knuckle out of habit. |
| knuckleduster | /ˈnʌkəlˌdʌstər/ | The police found a knuckleduster in his bag. |
Practice with Silent Letter K
Read the passage aloud. Notice how the K is written but not pronounced at the beginning of words.
Yesterday, I used a knife to cut some fruit for breakfast. Then I tied my shoes with a strong knot before leaving home. Outside, I saw a little knight in a children’s storybook someone had dropped on the ground. On my way, I heard my friend knock on the door and decided to wait. We laughed together, even though we didn’t really know what to do next.
Now, listen to the audio and pay attention to the silent K words. Repeat after the speaker to practice correct pronunciation.