Category: Spelling

English words that end with a Silent E

5/4/2022

Category: Spelling

Silent E

The term silent E refers to the use of an unpronounced E after another letter (usually a consonant) at the end of a word.

Here are six rules for the use of silent final -E

Rule #1 - Show vowel sounds

In most cases, a silent E at the end of a word changes its pronunciation. In C-V-C words, the vowel is almost always a "short" vowel. When we add an silent final -E, it changes the short vowel to a long vowel sound. Silent final -E makes the vowel say its name.

For example:

Hat /hæt/ has a short A sound, and Hate /heɪt/ has a long A sound.
Them /ðɛm/ has a short E sound, and Theme /θim/ has a long E sound.
Tim /tɪm/ has a short I sound, and Time /taɪm/ has a long I sound.
Hop /hɑp/ has a short O sound, and Hope /hoʊp/ has a long O sound.
Cut /kʌt/ has a short U sound, and Cute /kiut/ has a long U sound.

Rule #2 - Show consonant sounds

A. The silent E tells a C or G to make a soft sound.

For example:

Soft C /s/

ice /aɪs/.
lettuce /ˈlɛtəs/.
office /ˈɔfəs/.
price /praɪs/.
voice /vɔɪs/.

Soft G /ʤ/

age /eɪʤ/.
college /ˈkɑlɪʤ/.
large /lɑrʤ/.
message /ˈmɛsəʤ/.
page /peɪʤ/.

B. The silent E tells TH to make a voiced sound.
In most words that end in TH, it is pronounce as /θ/, an unvoiced consonant sound, for example bath, month, birth, teeth, etc. When a final TH is followed by E, however, it almost takes the voiced consonant sound /ð/.

For example:

bathe /beɪð/.
breathe /brið/.

Rule #3 - Every syllable must have a vowel

The rules of English spelling state that every syllable must have a vowel. A silent E following a syllabic L prevents words from violating the spelling rule.

For example:

ap-ple /ˈæpəl/.
bub-ble /ˈbʌbəl/.
can-dle /ˈkændəl/.
cir-cle /ˈsɜrkəl/.
goo-gle /ˈgugəl/.
nee-dle /ˈnidəl/.

peo-ple /ˈpipəl/.
pick-le /ˈpɪkəl/.
puz-zle /ˈpʌzəl/.
ta-ble /ˈteɪbəl/.
tur-tle /ˈtɜrtəl/.
waf-fle /ˈwɑfəl/.

Rule #4 - Distinguish homophones

For example:

by /baɪ/ - bye /baɪ/.

Rule #5 - Stop words ending in U and V

The rules of English spelling state that words cannot end with a u or v. This is a consonant spelling rule. The silent final E is not there to change the pronunciation of the vowel.

For example:

adjective /ˈæʤɪktɪv/.
argue /ˈɑrgju/.
blue /blu/.
drive /draɪv/.
give /gɪv/.
have /hæv/.
love /lʌv/.
rescue /ˈrɛskju/.
wave /weɪv/.

Note that words borrowed from other language such as bureau, chateau, jujitsu, menu, tiramisu and tofu and abbreviations such as flu (influenza) and gov (government) can end in a u or v.

Rule #6 - Keep singular nouns from ending in S

Silent E keeps a singular noun from ending in a single S.

For example:

base /beɪs/.
course /kɔrs/.
cheese /ˈprɑməs/.
house /haʊz/.
goose /gus/.
mouse /maʊz/.
promise /ˈprɑməs/.
verse /vɜrs/.

Exceptions

The silent E has several roles. However, generally there are exceptions, here's a list of some words that break the rules:

are /ɑr/.
come /kʌm/.
discipline /ˈdɪsəplən/.
done /dʌn/.
gone /gɔn/.
none /nʌn/.
one /wʌn/.
some /sʌm/.
sure /ʃʊr/.
there /ðɛr/.
where /wɛr/.
whose /huz/.

Also, keep in mind that there are few words in which the silent final -E isn't silent at all.

For example:

acne /ˈækni/.
apostrophe /əˈpɑstrəfi/.
fiance /fiˈɑnˌseɪ/.
karate /kəˈrɑti/.
recipe /ˈrɛsəpi/.
resume /rɪˈzum/.

Videos

Jack Hartmann's Silent E - Phonics song for kids

The Bazillions - Silent E

2 Comments

Spelling of verb +ing

8/7/2020

6 Comments

Category: Spelling

Rules to change verbs into -ing forms of verbs and gerunds

The general rule when changing a verb into its -ing form is just to add -ing to the end of the verb.

Infinitive	-ing form
To eat	eating
To go	going
To do	doing
To sleep	sleeping
To read	reading
To listen	listening
To cook	cooking
To feel	feeling
To work	working

Spelling exceptions

Rule #1: Silent -e

Verbs that end in a silent “e”, remove the -e and add -ing.

Infinitive	-ing form
To believe	believing
To come	coming
To dance	dancing
To have	having
To live	living
To love	loving
To make	making
To move	moving
To ride	riding
To skate	skating
To smile	smiling
To take	taking
To write	writing

Rule #2: Long -e sound

Verbs that end with a long -e sound, add -ing.

Infinitive	-ing form
To be	being
To agree	agreeing
To see	seeing

Rule #3: -ie

Verbs that end in “ie”, change -ie to -y and add -ing.

Infinitive	-ing form
To die	dying
To lie	lying
To tie	tying
To vie	vying

Rule #4: One-syllable CVC

One-syllable verbs that end in a consonant-vowel-consonant, double the final consonant and add -ing.

Infinitive	-ing form
To run	running
To sit	sitting
to get	getting
To swim	swimming
To stop	stopping

Rule #5: Two-syllable and last syllable is stressed

Two-syllable verbs that the 2nd syllable is stressed, double the final consonant and add -ing

Infinitive	-ing form
To begin	beginning
To forget	forgetting
To prefer	preferring

However, when the last syllable is not stressed, just add -ing as usual:

HAP-pen - happening.
LIS-ten - listening.
O-pen - opening.

Rule #6: w-x-y

Verbs that end in “w”, "x" or “y”, do not double the final consonant

Infinitive	-ing form
To enjoy	enjoying
To fix	fixing
To play	playing
To snow	snowing
To study	studying

Rule #7: -ic

Verbs that end in “ic”, add -k before -ing

Infinitive	-ing form
To traffic	trafficking
To picnic	picnicking
To panic	panicking

Rule #8: C-V-"L"

Verbs that end consonant-vowel-“L”, double the -L and add -ing

Note: In US, do not double the -L

Infinitive	-ing form (UK)	-ing form (US)
To travel	travelling	traveling
To cancel	cancelling	canceling

Exercise

Rewrite the following verbs in -ing form. Look at the example.

For example:
To play => playing

To read ________________
To go ________________
To skate ________________
To swim ________________
To die ________________
To ride ________________
To be ________________
To do ________________
To panic ________________
To study ________________

Online exercises

Exercise 01 - Verbs + -ing

Exercise 02 - Likes and dislikes (Verbs -ing)

6 Comments

English words that end with a Silent E

Spelling of verb +ing

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