Silent Letters- Secret Message Code Game

Silent Letters- Secret Message Code Game
Look at the section or sections below that your teacher tells you to. Underline the one
silent letter in each word, write them in the same order, split those letters into words (e.g.
“HAVEANICEDAY” into “Have a nice day”), then tell your teacher what the message is.
Level 1
cupboard
biscuit
ballet
business
autumn
hour
build
buffet
island

Level 2
bomb
guarantee
aisle
castle
foreign
guard
listen
isle

Level 3
acquaintance
artistically
cabaret
fascinated
exhausted
wrist
wheel
parliament
scene
vehicle
muscle
honour
business
scissors
knock

p. 1

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2020

Level 4
wrinkle
leopard
wrestle
wholly
exhilarated
physically
beret
critically
coup
guardian
condemn
acquire
heir

Level 5
cachet
jeopardy
catacomb
ethically
abscess
acquit
leopard
apropos
bristle
parliament
gnaw
knuckle
ascend

If you need to, use the hints below to help you split it into words.
Level 1 hint ___ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____

Level 2 hint ___ ___ ___ ____ ___ ___ ____ ____!

Level 3 hint ___ ___ ___ ___ ____ ___ ___ ___ ____ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___?

Level 4 hint ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___?

Level 5 hint ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___!

Try to find patterns in which letters are silent, where they are silent, which letters they are
usually silent before or after, etc. Then make hidden messages with the same or other
words with silent letters for other groups to solve.

p. 2

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2020

Answers
Level 1 answer
Put in huts

Level 2 answer
Bust guts!

Level 3 answer
Catch which chick?

Level 4 answer
Wow, what a punch!

Level 5 answer
Tobacco stinks!

p. 3

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2020