LoginThe Letter Y In American English
"Y" is the twenty-fifth letter of the English alphabet. It is a semi-vowel.
Semi-vowels are sounds between consonants and vowels that are pronounced with some restriction in the vocal tract.
| Uppercase Form | Y |
|---|---|
| Lowercase | y |
| Name | wye (pronounced /ˈwaɪ/) |
| Common Sound(s) | /i/, /ɪ/, /aɪ/, /j/ |
The Letter Y: Sounds
The letter "y" has four sounds:
Sound 1: /i/
Sound 2: /ɪ/
Sound 3: /aɪ/
"y" as a vowel sounds /aɪ/:
sk
Jul
c
t
Sound 4: /j/
The Letter Y: Multigraphs
"y" can also appear in combination with other letters (mainly vowels). They can create distinct sounds:
ye
"ye" is typically pronounced as /aɪ/ only when it appears at the end of a word:
d
b
r
ey
This combination is pronounced in two ways if it appears at the end of a word:
- /i/
- /eɪ/
1. most commonly "ey" sounds /i/:
mon
k
jers
2. "ey" can also produce /eɪ/:
th
pr
surv
ay
"ay" makes the sound /eɪ/ when it appears at the end of a word:
d
pl
st
uy
"uy" produces the sound /aɪ/ at the end of a word:
g
b
oy
"oy" creates the sound /ɔɪ/ at the end of a word:
pl
c
b
The Letter Y: Uses
"Y" can be used as:
- An adjectival suffix in English morphology
- A person, a number, an influence, etc. that is not known or not named, like "I don't know what
X is doing forY ."
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