When you hear the long E sound, it can be spelled several ways. This sound can be represented in 2 vowel teams (“ea” and “ee”), an irregular vowel team (“ie”), the open syllable rule, e.g., me, and “Y” as a vowel at the end of a word, e.g. bunny.
Common Ways to Spell the Long E Sound
- Vowel Team – EE
- The vowel team rule states that when two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking. The combination of two e’s (double vowels) results in the long e sound. There are many EE words.
- Vowel Team – EA
- The combination of both an “e” and “a” (double vowels) also results in this sound. Similar to the ee words, there are many EA words that make this sound.
- Irregular Vowel Team – IE
- The vowel team rule states when two vowels go walking the first does the talking and the second vowel is silent. Of course, there are exceptions. The combination of the vowels “i” and “e” can result in the long e sound, e.g., achieve, belief, chief, field, priest, piece and siege.
- Open Syllable Rule – Long E
- An open syllable occurs when a vowel is at the end of the syllable (it is not closed by a consonant). We provided examples below.
- Initial Sound – emit, evil, even and eclipse
- Medial Sound – area, really, female and legal
- Final Sound – be, he, she & we
- Y as a Vowel
- The letter Y as a Vowel is more common than Y as a consonant. When the letter “y” is at the end of word, it sometimes makes the long e sound, e.g., baby, candy, family and city. Y as a vowel at the end of a word can also make the long i sound, e.g., my, cry.
Long E Words
The table below contains over 275 words. They are categorized into one of the five common ways to spell the long e sound as discussed above – Vowel Teams (2), Irregular Vowel Team, Open Syllable Rule and Y as a Vowel.
Long E Words | Category | Word Family / Sound |
---|---|---|
achieve | Irregular Vowel Team - IE | - |
any | Y as a Vowel | final |
area | Open Syllable Rule | medial sound |
baby | Y as a Vowel | final |
be | Open Syllable Rule | final sound |
beach | Vowel Team - EA | -each |
bead | Vowel Team - EA | -ead |
beak | Vowel Team - EA | -eak |
beam | Vowel Team - EA | -eam |
bean | Vowel Team - EA | -ean |
beast | Vowel Team - EA | -east |
beat | Vowel Team - EA | -eat |
bee | Vowel Team - EE | -ee |
beech | Vowel Team - EE | -eech |
beep | Vowel Team - EE | -eep |
beer | Vowel Team - EE | -eer |
beet | Vowel Team - EE | -eet |
being | Open Syllable Rule | medial sound |
belief | Irregular Vowel Team - IE | -ief |
believe | Irregular Vowel Team - IE | - |
bleach | Vowel Team - EA | -each |
bleak | Vowel Team - EA | -eak |
bleat | Vowel Team - EA | -eat |
bleed | Vowel Team - EE | -eed |
body | Y as a Vowel | final |
breach | Vowel Team - EA | -each |
breech | Vowel Team - EE | -eech |
breed | Vowel Team - EE | -eed |
breeze | Vowel Team - EE | -eeze |
brief | Irregular Vowel Team - IE | -ief |
bunny | Y as a Vowel | final |
candy | Y as a Vowel | final |
cedar | Open Syllable Rule | medial sound |
cheap | Vowel Team - EA | -eap |
cheat | Vowel Team - EA | -eat |
cheek | Vowel Team - EE | -eek |
cheep | Vowel Team - EE | -eep |
chief | Irregular Vowel Team - IE | -ief |
city | Y as a Vowel | final |
clean | Vowel Team - EA | -ean |
clear | Vowel Team - EA | -ear |
cleat | Vowel Team - EA | -eat |
cleave | Vowel Team - EA | -eave |
copy | Y as a Vowel | final |
country | Y as a Vowel | final |
creak | Vowel Team - EA | -eak |
cream | Vowel Team - EA | -eam |
creed | Vowel Team - EE | -eed |
creek | Vowel Team - EE | -eek |
creel | Vowel Team - EE | -eel |
creep | Vowel Team - EE | -eep |
daddy | Y as a Vowel | final |
deal | Vowel Team - EA | -eal |
dean | Vowel Team - EA | -ean |
dear | Vowel Team - EA | -ear |
deed | Vowel Team - EE | -eed |
deem | Vowel Team - EE | -eem |
deep | Vowel Team - EE | -eep |
deer | Vowel Team - EE | -eer |
demon | Open Syllable Rule | medial sound |
depot | Open Syllable Rule | medial sound |
dream | Vowel Team - EA | -eam |
early | Y as a Vowel | final |
easy | Y as a Vowel | final |
eclipse | Open Syllable Rule | initial sound |
ecology | Open Syllable Rule | initial sound |
edict | Open Syllable Rule | initial sound |
Egyptian | Open Syllable Rule | initial sound |
Open Syllable Rule | initial sound | |
emission | Open Syllable Rule | initial sound |
emit | Open Syllable Rule | initial sound |
energy | Y as a Vowel | final |
enunciate | Open Syllable Rule | initial sound |
equal | Open Syllable Rule | initial sound |
equator | Open Syllable Rule | initial sound |
equinox | Open Syllable Rule | initial sound |
ether | Open Syllable Rule | initial sound |
even | Open Syllable Rule | initial sound |
evening | Open Syllable Rule | initial sound |
every | Y as a Vowel | final |
evil | Open Syllable Rule | initial sound |
family | Y as a Vowel | final |
fear | Vowel Team - EA | -ear |
feast | Vowel Team - EA | -east |
feat | Vowel Team - EA | -eat |
fee | Vowel Team - EE | -ee |
feed | Vowel Team - EE | -eed |
feel | Vowel Team - EE | -eel |
feet | Vowel Team - EE | -eet |
female | Open Syllable Rule | medial sound |
field | Irregular Vowel Team - IE | -ield |
flea | Vowel Team - EA | -ea |
flee | Vowel Team - EE | -ee |
fleet | Vowel Team - EE | -eet |
freak | Vowel Team - EA | -eak |
free | Vowel Team - EE | -ee |
freed | Vowel Team - EE | -eed |
freeze | Vowel Team - EE | -eeze |
funny | Y as a Vowel | final |
gear | Vowel Team - EA | -ear |
gleam | Vowel Team - EA | -eam |
glean | Vowel Team - EA | -ean |
glee | Vowel Team - EE | -ee |
greed | Vowel Team - EE | -eed |
Greek | Vowel Team - EE | -eek |
green | Vowel Team - EE | -een |
greet | Vowel Team - EE | -eet |
grief | Irregular Vowel Team - IE | -ief |
happy | Y as a Vowel | final |
he | Open Syllable Rule | final sound |
heal | Vowel Team - EA | -eal |
heap | Vowel Team - EA | -eap |
hear | Vowel Team - EA | -ear |
heat | Vowel Team - EA | -eat |
heave | Vowel Team - EA | -eave |
heavy | Y as a Vowel | final |
heed | Vowel Team - EE | -eed |
heel | Vowel Team - EE | -eel |
Jean | Vowel Team - EA | -ean |
Jeep | Vowel Team - EE | -eep |
jeer | Vowel Team - EE | -eer |
keel | Vowel Team - EE | -eel |
keen | Vowel Team - EE | -een |
keep | Vowel Team - EE | -eep |
knead | Vowel Team - EA | -ead |
knee | Vowel Team - EE | -ee |
kneed | Vowel Team - EE | -eed |
lady | Y as a Vowel | final |
leach | Vowel Team - EA | -each |
lead | Vowel Team - EA | -ead |
leak | Vowel Team - EA | -eak |
lean | Vowel Team - EA | -ean |
leap | Vowel Team - EA | -eap |
least | Vowel Team - EA | -east |
leave | Vowel Team - EA | -eave |
Lee | Vowel Team - EE | -ee |
leech | Vowel Team - EE | -eech |
leek | Vowel Team - EE | -eek |
leer | Vowel Team - EE | -eer |
legal | Open Syllable Rule | medial sound |
many | Y as a Vowel | final |
maybe | Open Syllable Rule | final sound |
me | Open Syllable Rule | final sound |
meal | Vowel Team - EA | -eal |
mean | Vowel Team - EA | -ean |
meat | Vowel Team - EA | -eat |
meek | Vowel Team - EE | -eek |
meet | Vowel Team - EE | -eet |
meter | Open Syllable Rule | medial sound |
mommy | Y as a Vowel | final |
money | Y as a Vowel | final |
museum | Open Syllable Rule | medial sound |
near | Vowel Team - EA | -ear |
neat | Vowel Team - EA | -eat |
need | Vowel Team - EE | -eed |
niece | Irregular Vowel Team - IE | - |
only | Y as a Vowel | final |
pea | Vowel Team - EA | -ea |
peach | Vowel Team - EA | -each |
peak | Vowel Team - EA | -eak |
peal | Vowel Team - EA | -eal |
peat | Vowel Team - EA | -eat |
peek | Vowel Team - EE | -eek |
peel | Vowel Team - EE | -eel |
peep | Vowel Team - EE | -eep |
peer | Vowel Team - EE | -eer |
penny | Y as a Vowel | final |
piece | Irregular Vowel Team - IE | - |
plea | Vowel Team - EA | -ea |
plead | Vowel Team - EA | -ead |
pleat | Vowel Team - EA | -eat |
preach | Vowel Team - EA | -each |
preen | Vowel Team - EE | -een |
prefix | Open Syllable Rule | medial sound |
pretty | Y as a Vowel | final |
priest | Irregular Vowel Team - IE | - |
puppy | Y as a Vowel | final |
queen | Vowel Team - EE | -een |
queer | Vowel Team - EE | -eer |
quickly | Y as a Vowel | final |
reach | Vowel Team - EA | -each |
react | Open Syllable Rule | medial sound |
read | Vowel Team - EA | -ead |
ready | Y as a Vowel | final |
real | Vowel Team - EA | -eal |
really | Open Syllable Rule | medial sound |
really | Y as a Vowel | final |
ream | Vowel Team - EA | -eam |
reap | Vowel Team - EA | -eap |
rear | Vowel Team - EA | -ear |
recent | Open Syllable Rule | medial sound |
recycle | Open Syllable Rule | medial sound |
reed | Vowel Team - EE | -eed |
reek | Vowel Team - EE | -eek |
reel | Vowel Team - EE | -eel |
relief | Irregular Vowel Team - IE | -ief |
sandy | Y as a Vowel | final |
scream | Vowel Team - EA | -eam |
screech | Vowel Team - EE | -eech |
screen | Vowel Team - EE | -een |
sea | Vowel Team - EA | -ea |
seal | Vowel Team - EA | -eal |
seam | Vowel Team - EA | -eam |
sear | Vowel Team - EA | -ear |
seat | Vowel Team - EA | -eat |
secret | Open Syllable Rule | medial sound |
see | Vowel Team - EE | -ee |
seed | Vowel Team - EE | -eed |
seek | Vowel Team - EE | -eek |
seem | Vowel Team - EE | -eem |
seen | Vowel Team - EE | -een |
seep | Vowel Team - EE | -eep |
seer | Vowel Team - EE | -eer |
she | Open Syllable Rule | final sound |
shear | Vowel Team - EA | -ear |
sheave | Vowel Team - EA | -eave |
sheen | Vowel Team - EE | -een |
sheep | Vowel Team - EE | -eep |
sheet | Vowel Team - EE | -eet |
shield | Irregular Vowel Team - IE | -ield |
siege | Irregular Vowel Team - IE | - |
skeet | Vowel Team - EE | -eet |
sleek | Vowel Team - EE | -eek |
sleep | Vowel Team - EE | -eep |
sleet | Vowel Team - EE | -eet |
smear | Vowel Team - EA | -ear |
sneak | Vowel Team - EA | -eak |
sneer | Vowel Team - EE | -eer |
sneeze | Vowel Team - EE | -eeze |
speak | Vowel Team - EA | -eak |
spear | Vowel Team - EA | -ear |
speech | Vowel Team - EE | -eech |
speed | Vowel Team - EE | -eed |
squeak | Vowel Team - EA | -eak |
squeal | Vowel Team - EA | -eal |
squeeze | Vowel Team - EE | -eeze |
steal | Vowel Team - EA | -eal |
steam | Vowel Team - EA | -eam |
steed | Vowel Team - EE | -eed |
steel | Vowel Team - EE | -eel |
steep | Vowel Team - EE | -eep |
steer | Vowel Team - EE | -eer |
story | Y as a Vowel | final |
streak | Vowel Team - EA | -eak |
stream | Vowel Team - EA | -eam |
street | Vowel Team - EE | -eet |
study | Y as a Vowel | final |
sunny | Y as a Vowel | final |
sweep | Vowel Team - EE | -eep |
sweet | Vowel Team - EE | -eet |
tea | Vowel Team - EA | -ea |
teach | Vowel Team - EA | -each |
teak | Vowel Team - EA | -eak |
teal | Vowel Team - EA | -eal |
team | Vowel Team - EA | -eam |
tear | Vowel Team - EA | -ear |
tee | Vowel Team - EE | -ee |
teem | Vowel Team - EE | -eem |
teen | Vowel Team - EE | -een |
thief | Irregular Vowel Team - IE | -ief |
three | Vowel Team - EE | -ee |
treat | Vowel Team - EA | -eat |
tree | Vowel Team - EE | -ee |
treed | Vowel Team - EE | -eed |
tweak | Vowel Team - EA | -eak |
tweed | Vowel Team - EE | -eed |
tweet | Vowel Team - EE | -eet |
tweeze | Vowel Team - EE | -eeze |
usually | Y as a Vowel | final |
veal | Vowel Team - EA | -eal |
very | Y as a Vowel | final |
we | Open Syllable Rule | final sound |
weak | Vowel Team - EA | -eak |
wean | Vowel Team - EA | -ean |
weave | Vowel Team - EA | -eave |
wee | Vowel Team - EE | -ee |
weed | Vowel Team - EE | -eed |
week | Vowel Team - EE | -eek |
weep | Vowel Team - EE | -eep |
wheat | Vowel Team - EA | -eat |
wheel | Vowel Team - EE | -eel |
wheeze | Vowel Team - EE | -eeze |
year | Vowel Team - EA | -ear |
yeast | Vowel Team - EA | -east |
yield | Irregular Vowel Team - IE | -ield |
zeal | Vowel Team - EA | -eal |
zebra | Open Syllable Rule | medial sound |
Worksheets
We created numerous long e worksheets to assist a child in learning the various ways it can be spelled. Our worksheets offer fun exercises to help a child learn in an entertaining environment.
Source: Fry, E.B., Ph.D. & Kress, J.E., Ed.D. (2006). The Reading
Teacher’s Book of Lists 5th Edition. San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass
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bella says
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Ullis says
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Vani says
Thx
Ray says
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SIENNA says
THX
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Devi says
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