In many English words, the spelling is different from the pronunciation. This is mainly because the pronunciation has changed a good deal over the last few hundred years, while our spelling system has stayed more or less the same.
Silent Letters
The letters in brackets are usually not pronounced.
clim(b), com(b), dum(b)
mus(c)le
han(d)kerchief, san(d)wich, We(d)nesday
champa(g)ne, forei(g)n, si(g)n
bou(gh)t, cau(gh)t, thou(gh)t
dau(gh)ter, hei(gh)t, hi(gh), nei(gh)bour
(h)onest, (h)onour, (h)our
(k)nee, (k)nife, (k)now
ca(l)m, ha(l)f, sa(l)mon, ta(l)k
autum(n), hym(n)
(p)sychiatrist, (p)sychology
cu(p)board,
i(r)on
i(s)land
cas(t)le, lis(t)en, whis(t)le
g(u)ess, g(u)ide, g(u)itar
(w)hole
veg(e)table
bus(i)ness
diff(e)rent
ev(e)ning
om(e)lette
rest(au)rant