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A silent I occurs in vowel pairs in these words:

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

As with the E-ON (UN) of fashion, the I is also technically silent in -TION words, where it gives the T an SH sound.

Examples: action, ignition, definition

A rare "true" silent I is seen in the word "business". In most, if not all, dialects, the I is simply ignored.

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11y ago

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