Can the letter i be a silent letter?

Answer 1

Yes. In English words ending in -tion, the I is not pronounced except as a palatalization of the T, giving it an SH sound.

The letter I may also be considered silent in some vowel pairs, such as:

• In AI words-- bail, pail, tail, lain, pain, bait, aileron, maize (AY sound)
• In EI and IE words -- deceive, believe, receive, retrieve
• In IO words -- fashion, cushion (IO pronounced as U)
• In UI words -- juice, sluice, suit

And now, one from the lighter side: No, but 'U' can!