Spelling list: Silent t words

Watch out for the silent t in these words!

The origins of silent t words can be traced back to the history of the English language itself. Many of these words have their roots in Old English, where the t was actually pronounced.

However, as the language evolved over centuries, and absorbed influences from French and Latin, the pronunciation of the t gradually faded away. The evolution of language isn't only about adding new words but also about adapting existing ones to new phonetic patterns.

Use the Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check activity to learn these words. When you 'say' each word, pronounce the t like in Old English to help you remember it's there.

fasten	I fasten my coat before going outside.
hasten	Jim turned up the oven heat to hasten the cooking.
glisten	Frost can glisten in the sunlight.
listen	I like to listen to the radio in the car. *
moisten	I moisten a cloth and clean the window.
apostle	Mark was an apostle of Christ.
thistle	Thistle flowers are beautiful.
whistle	The referee blew his whistle at the end of the game.
wrestle	We saw the policeman wrestle the burglar to the ground.
mortgage	We'll need a bigger mortgage to buy a bigger house.
Christmas	Christmas is a busy time of year. *