Adult learners use this page to explore the sounds each alphabet letter can make. Using IPA symbols helps prepare learners for using a dictionary. Word drills provide structured reading practice using lists of words grouped by sound and take learners on the next step in their reading journey.
Goal: recognize and name the letter E; hear each distinct sound letter E makes; voice those sounds. The letter E is one hard working vowel. E is at its more powerful when you can't hear it at all. What! Read on my friend and enjoy some beautiful E sounds.
In combination with other letters, e can sound like other vowels.
Name
IPA Symbol
Examples
Like Long A
as in break
-
, , .
Try our popup combo tool: , , .
Like Long U
as in new:
-
, .
Try our popup combo tool: .
Rhyming Short and Long E Words
Click, listen and learn these E sounds by finding rhyming words.
Forming the Long E Sound
Using silent E to form long vowel sounds
The most common way to form the long e sound is by doubling it in a word as in tree, meet, bee. All the ways are as follows;
alone as in be, me,
double e as in tree, seed,
occasionally with silent e as in mete, mere,
occasionally ea together as in meat or leave (but not break or head),
occasionally ie together as in believe, or reversed after c as in receive,
usually y at the end of a word as in key, money, happy.
Notes:
Do you know the little rhyme: I before E except after C and when pronounced A. I believe I received flowers from our neighbour.
Silent E at the end of a word can be used to form every long vowel sound; Bake, Mete, Pike, Poke, Puke.
E following consonants c or g softens the sound as in gal versus age or gel and call versus ace or cell.
When we speak, we blend sounds together in a word. Some consonants, like R and L, have a strong pull on vowel sounds when they follow the vowel in a word. But L and R affect the vowel E less than other vowels.
L does not change the short E or long E sounds.
Short E: , - I bet the bell is broken.
Long E: , - I see the seel playing.
R can change E
E with R produce the occasional sounds - er - as in , , .
