The most common letters in the English language are:
- E (around 11%)
- T (around 9%)
- A (around 8%)
- O (around 8%)
- I (around 7%)
- N (around 7%)
- S (around 6%)
- R (around 6%)
- H (around 5%)
- L (around 4%)
This order can vary slightly depending on the source and the type of text analyzed (e.g., literature vs. everyday communication). However, E is consistently the most common letter in English.
Here are some interesting facts about letter frequency:
- The space character occurs almost twice as frequently as the top letter (⟨e⟩).
- Vowels (A, E, I, O, U) tend to be more common than consonants.
- The least common letters in English are Z, Q, and X.
This information can be helpful for various purposes, such as:
- Cryptology: Understanding letter frequencies helps in code-breaking techniques.
- Word games: Knowing the most common letters can be advantageous in games like Scrabble or Words with Friends.
- Password security: Including less common letters in passwords can make them more secure.