Silent Letters WorksheetFind the sleeping letter
Twelve words. Each one has a letter that is fast asleep. Your child finds it, reads the word aloud and ticks it off.
A silent letter is a letter we write but do not say, like the k in knee, the w in write and the b in lamb. This free silent letters worksheet has 12 words built on those three patterns. Your child circles the letter that makes no sound, reads the word aloud and ticks "I read it". Four words a day takes about five minutes.
What's on the sheet
Twelve big word boxes, each with an "I read it" tick box underneath. The words come in three families. Each family hides the same sleeping letter, so once your child spots it in one word, the rest of the row gets easier.
kn: the k sleeps
We say "nock", "nit", "nee", "no".
wr: the w sleeps
We say "rite", "rap", "rong", "rist".
mb: the b sleeps
We say "lam" and "thum". Climb rhymes with time, comb with home.
The answers are printed upside down at the bottom of the sheet: the k in kn-, the w in wr-, the b in -mb. Your child can flip the page to check their own work, which they usually enjoy more than being told.
How to use it in 5 minutes a day
- Do one row a day. That is four words. The whole sheet is done in three days.
- Read the word to yourself first. Let your child look at the word and try it alone before you say anything.
- Circle the sleeping letter. Ask, "Which letter is sleeping in this word?" If they are unsure, say the word slowly and let them hear which letter is missing.
- Read it aloud. The whole word, out loud, to you. Saying it is what makes the spelling stick.
- Tick "I read it". Your child does the tick, not you. It is their win.
- Stick it on the fridge. Ask them to read the ticked words to anyone who opens the fridge that week.
If your child reads "k-nock" with the k: do not say wrong. Say, "Good try. In this word the k is sleeping, so we say nock." Then ask them to circle the k. That one moment teaches the rule better than any explanation.
Why silent letters exist
Most silent letters were not always silent. Hundreds of years ago, English speakers really did say the k in knee and know, the w in write and wrong, and the b in lamb and climb. Over time people stopped saying those sounds, but the spelling had already settled, so the letters stayed on the page. Thumb is the odd one out: its b was added to the spelling later, to match words like lamb. A simple way to tell your child: "These letters used to talk. Now they are just sleeping."
Watch ZigZu explain it
Our Instagram reel series Why Is It Spelled Like That? explains one strange spelling at a time. Episode 1 is all about the silent K. Watch it with your child before you start the sheet.
Why Is It Spelled Like That? Episode 1: Silent KOn Instagram at @zigzureadsMore free resources
Finished the sheet? Here is what to try next, all free on ZigZu.
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Frequently asked questions
Silent letters are letters we write but do not say. The k in knee, the w in write and the b in lamb are all silent. Most of them were spoken hundreds of years ago, and the spelling stayed when the sound dropped away. A child cannot sound them out, so they have to learn to spot them.
It suits children from UKG to Class 2 who can already sound out short words like cat and sun. If your child still guesses at three letter words, practise those first. Silent letters make sense only once a child knows that letters usually make sounds, because the whole idea is spotting the one that does not.
Four words a day is plenty. That is one row of the sheet, about five minutes, and the whole sheet is done in three days. Short daily practice sticks far better than one long sitting. On the fourth day, ask your child to read all twelve words again without circling anything, as a quick check.
Yes. The worksheet is a free PDF with no sign-up and no email needed. It prints on one A4 page and works in black and white. The answers are printed upside down at the bottom of the sheet, so you can check them with your child. Print as many copies as you like or share it with a teacher.
A worksheet can't hear your child read. ZigZu can.
ZigZu is your child's English Reading Companion. Your child reads aloud, ZigZu listens to every word, catches the ones they miss, and teaches them back with phonics, in Indian English.
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