Business English- Silent letters and syllables

A LESSON PLAN FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHERS

Comparing and contrasting silent letters and silent syllables in rapid speech, with business vocabulary

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Lesson Plan Content:


Business English silent letters and syllables pronunciation practice

What do the words in each of the columns below have in common?

Category 1

Category 2

1. write                                                        

2. know                                                       

3. answer                                                                  

4. receipt                                                                   

5. listen                                                       

6. sign                                                                       

7. whole                                       

8. budget                                                    

9. scientist                                    

10. psychographics

11. white knight                            

12. knowledge                                           

13. mortgage    

14. debt

15. debtor

16. foreign exchange

17. advertising campaign                                       

18. social climbing

1. secondary

2. monetary union

3. traveller

4. travelling

5. brand preference

6. interest rates

7. average

8. general

9. generally

10. Annual General Meeting

11. interesting

12. national

13. nationalise

14. nationally

15. business interests

16. inventories

17. natural

18. territory

19. factory

20. corporate

 

Mark those two features on each word.

Add the missing letter which is spelt but not pronounced in each word below.

  • w_ite-collar worker
  • resi_n
  • wei_hting
  • _holesale
  • office _ours                                                     
  • ve_icle
  • gover_ment
  • enviro_mental
  • ha_f-time job
  • hi_hly recommended
  • whis_le-blowing
  • dis_onest
  • ex_ibition

Test each other in pairs, saying any of the words and expressions in the three sections above and asking your partner to spell them, making sure that you don’t pronounce the silent letter and syllables.

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Suggested answers

Category 1 – words with silent letters

Category 2 – words with syllables which disappear when we speak quickly/ naturally

1. write                                                        

2. know                                                       

3. answer                                                                  

4. receipt                                                                   

5. listen                                                       

6. sign                                                                       

7. whole                                       

8. budget                                                    

9. scientist                                    

10. psychographics

11. white knight                            

12. knowledge                                           

13. mortgage    

14. debt

15. debtor

16. foreign exchange

17. advertising campaign                                       

18. social climbing

1. secondary

2. monetary union

3. traveller

4. travelling

5. brand preference

6. interest rates

7. average

8. general

9. generally

10. Annual General Meeting

11. interesting

12. national

13. nationalise

14. nationally

15. business interests

16. inventories

17. natural

18. territory

19. factory

20. corporate

 

 

  • white-collar worker
  • resign
  • weighting
  • wholesale
  • office hours
  • vehicle
  • government
  • environmental
  • half-time job
  • highly recommended
  • whistle-blowing
  • dishonest
  • exhibition

 

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