Main spellings (~99%)
⟨n⟩ ~99%
The letter ⟨n⟩ covers virtually all words with the /n/ sound.
Doubled consonants: When ⟨nn⟩ appears in the middle of a word, it still makes just one /n/ sound. Examples: dinner, funny, running.
Unusual spellings (~1%)
⟨kn⟩
The ⟨k⟩ is silent at the start of words with ⟨kn⟩.
Silent K: In words starting with ⟨kn⟩, the ⟨k⟩ is always silent: know, knife, knee, knock, knot, knight. The ⟨k⟩ was pronounced in Old English but gradually became silent.
Two ways to see this: You can think of ⟨kn⟩ as an unusual spelling of /n/, or as a silent ⟨k⟩ before ⟨n⟩ — see the
silent K page for the full list. Both are valid.
⟨gn⟩
The ⟨g⟩ is silent in some words with ⟨gn⟩.
Silent G: The ⟨g⟩ is silent in ⟨gn⟩ combinations:
gnaw,
sign,
foreign,
reign,
design. But note: in
signature and
signal, the ⟨g⟩ IS pronounced because it's in a different syllable. See the full list on the
silent G page.
⟨pn⟩
The ⟨p⟩ is silent at the start of Greek-origin words.
Silent P: In words from Greek starting with ⟨pn⟩, the ⟨p⟩ is silent: pneumonia, pneumatic. English doesn't allow /pn/ clusters at the start of words.
⟨mn⟩
In some Greek-origin words.