What is the most frequently used silent consonant?
Not sure which is the most prevalent, but here are some:
the letter "g" which is silent when followed by an "n' at the
beginning or end of words such as "gnash" and "gnome" and "benign"
or resign". Not however when the syllables separate the letters,
i.e., "dragnet".
Another would be the silent "b" for words ending in "mb" like
"bomb" "comb"
Or the silent "c" in words / syllables beginning with "sc" as in
"science" and "ascend" and "scissors". Seems like this might be the
most frequent.
And in American English, an "H" starting some words and
secondary syllables, such as "honor" or "exhibit" or "exhaust" or
"graham"
Then there is the silent "k" when followed by "n" as in "knot,
Knowledge, knives"
Words ending in 'mn' -- silent 'n', like in "limn" "autumn"
"condemn"
Words with initial "wh" -- silent "H" -- "where, when, who" and
with initial "wr" -- silent "w" -- as in "write" and 'wrench"
Silent "t" for words ending in "stle" as in "castle" or
"trestle"