Silent letter S appears in many English words where the S is written but not pronounced, like island, aisle, and debris. These spellings often come from French or historical forms of English. Learning silent S words helps you speak more naturally and avoid common pronunciation mistakes.
What Is a Silent Letter S?
Definition
A silent letter S is when the letter S appears in the spelling of a word but is not pronounced. You see the S, but you don’t say it.
Examples:
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island → /ˈaɪlənd/ → the S is silent
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aisle → /aɪl/ → the S is not spoken
So with silent S words, the pronunciation changes, but the spelling stays the same.
Why Does S Become Silent?
Silent S appears because of:
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Old French or Latin origins
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Historical pronunciation changes
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Spelling kept for tradition, even when sound is lost
Common Rules for Silent Letter S
1. Silent S Before L
When S appears before L, the S is often silent.
Examples:
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island → /ˈaɪlənd/ → I visited a beautiful island.
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aisle → /aɪl/ → Please stand in the aisle.
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isle → /aɪl/ → They live on a small isle.
2. Silent S in Words Ending with “-sm” or “-smn” (Uncommon)
In some dialects or older usage, S may be silent.
Examples:
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chasm → /ˈkæzəm/
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prism (regional) → /ˈprɪzəm/
3. Silent S in French Loanwords
Some English words borrowed from French keep the S in spelling but drop the sound.
Examples:
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débris → /ˈdeɪbriː/
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vis-à-vis → /ˌviːzəˈviː/
4. Silent S in Certain Fixed Phrases or Variants
Older or poetic usage may drop the S sound.
Examples:
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hors d’oeuvre → /ɔːrˈdɜːv/
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corps → /kɔːr/
5. Silent S Before “C” (informal contractions)
This is more pronunciation-based than spelling-based.
Examples:
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let’s → often said as /lets/ but S isn’t strongly heard
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c’mon (from “come on”) → informal speech drops certain sounds
List of Common Silent S Words
Here is a comprehensive list of silent S words you should know:
| Word | IPA | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| island | /ˈaɪlənd/ | We spent our holiday on a tropical island. |
| isle | /aɪl/ | The isle is small but beautiful. |
| aisle | /aɪl/ | Please walk down the aisle. |
| debris | /ˈdeɪbriː/ | The storm left a lot of debris. |
| apropos | /ˌæprəˈpoʊ/ | His comment was apropos of nothing. |
| vis-à-vis | /ˌviːzəˈviː/ | We sat vis-à-vis during dinner. |
| corps | /kɔːr/ | He joined the marine corps. |
| hors d’oeuvre | /ɔːrˈdɜːv/ | They served hors d’oeuvres at the party. |
| chassis | /ˈʃæsi/ | The mechanic repaired the car’s chassis. |
| demesne | /dɪˈmeɪn/ | The land was once a royal demesne. |
| chamois | /ˈʃæmwɑː/ | He cleaned the car with a soft chamois. |
| grosgrain | /ˈɡroʊɡreɪn/ | She wore a grosgrain ribbon. |
| viscount | /ˈvaɪkaʊnt/ | The viscount attended the ceremony. |
| Pentecost | /ˈpɛntəkɒst/ | They celebrate Pentecost yearly. |
| bordeaux | /bɔːrˈdoʊ/ | He ordered a glass of Bordeaux. |
| reminisce | /ˌrɛmɪˈnɪs/ | They reminisce about old times. |
| Illinois | /ˌɪlɪˈnɔɪ/ | She moved from Illinois last year. |
| Arkansas | /ˈɑːrkənsɔː/ | They visited family in Arkansas. |
Practice with Silent S
Reading Practice
Read the paragraph aloud. Listen for the silent S sounds.
We took a short flight to a quiet island for a weekend trip. As we walked down the aisle of the plane, I noticed some debris left on a seat. Later, we rode a boat to a small nearby isle and spent the afternoon exploring the shore. The place was peaceful, and the silence made the visit even more relaxing.