2.2.B.ii
The Standard
decoding words with silent letters such as knife and gnat
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for English Language Arts and Reading · The student develops word structure knowledge through phonological awareness, print concepts, phonics, and morphology to communicate, decode, and spell.
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students read words containing a consonant that is written but not pronounced. They use patterns such as kn, gn, wr, and final mb to blend the spoken sounds.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student reads words like knee, gnome, write, and lamb without pronouncing the silent consonant. The student can identify the silent letter and read the word in a sentence.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may pronounce every printed letter, saying /k/ in knee or /g/ in gnome. They may confuse a silent-letter pattern with a blend or omit the silent letter when spelling.
How to Assess It
- Give students the words knot, gnaw, wrist, and comb. Ask them to read each word aloud and circle the silent letter.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Use letter tiles to build knee, knot, gnome, and gnaw, then cover each silent letter and read the word aloud.
Ask students to explain how knee would sound if every printed letter were pronounced, then write the correct pronunciation.
Play Silent Letter Bingo by calling words aloud while students cover the matching printed words and name each silent letter.
Read a simple bread recipe, highlight the word knead, and discuss why readers need to recognize its silent letter.
Keep exploring
Related Standards
- 1.2.B.ii
decoding words with initial and final consonant blends, digraphs, and trigraphs;
- 2.2.B.i
decoding words with short, long, or variant vowels, trigraphs, and blends;
- 2.2.C.ii
spelling words with silent letters such as knife and gnat;
- 5.2.A.iii
decoding words using advanced knowledge of syllable division patterns;
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