Grammar Explanation

Presenter: Chen Zuo

TESOL master candidate

Silent Letterknife -- not nife?

knock--not nock?

name-- not nam?

make-- not mak?

History of English

A Great Mirror in Our English Learning

Without the mirror

You will be driven mad!

Why is English spelling so complicated???

With the guide of the mirror

1476

Printing press was introduced

By William Caxton

The dividing point between the Middle and Modern English periods.

Caxton Showing the First Specimen of His Printing to King Edward IV

Spelling is gradually fixed because of printing press

Pronunciation is still changing

The gap between spelling and pronunciation began to widen.

Spelling--In the books

Knock

Knife

Pronunciation--Consonant simplification

The consonant in consonant clusters ceased to be pronounced during the 15th and 16th centuries.

Silent letterk in kn- KnockKnife KnowledgeKneeknob

Silent letter b in –mb words

bomb

tomb

comb

thumb

The silent e in the end—to indicate the preceding vowel is long.

Old English—nama [a]

Middle English—name [ə]

Modern English—name (silent)

time [tajm]

name [nejm]

made [mejd]

Quiz

Why is there a “silent” letter in the beginning like knife or knock?