The Letter E

In American English

In this lesson, we will learn about all the sounds of the letter E. It is the fifth letter of the English alphabet. Let's get started.

The Letter "E" in the English Alphabet

"E" is the fifth letter and the second vowel letter of the English alphabet.

Vowels are sounds that are pronounced without any restriction in the vocal tract. It means we can produce it with the unrestricted flow of air.

Uppercase Form E
Lowercase Form e
Name e (pronounced /ˈiː/)
Common Sounds /ə/, /Ø/, /ɛ/, /ɪ/, /iː/, /ɜ/

Pie Chart of "e" Pronunciation in American English

The Letter E: Sounds

Vowels in the English language can have many many sounds. Here we will look at some of its common ones.

Sound 1: /ə/

The most common sound produced by "e" is /ə/:

often /ˈɔf(t)ən/

silent /ˈsaɪlənt/

envelope /ˈɛnvəˌloʊp/

Sound 2: /Ø/

"e" can be silent, mostly at the end of the words:

elope /ɪˈloʊp/

grace /ɡɹeɪs/

score /skɔɹ/

Silent -e

The letter "e" is usually silent at the end of a word, as in "safe." Silent -e can also be found in the middle of a word, in a compound, such as "safeguard" (safe + guard), or when suffixes are added, such as "safely."

Sound 3: /ɛ/

"e" also sounds /ɛ/:

bed /bɛd/

egg /ɛɡ/

credit /ˈkɹɛdɪt/

lend /lɛnd/

Sound 4: /ɪ/

"e" can also produce the /ɪ/ sound:

pretty /ˈpɹɪti/

retrieve /rɪˈtriːv/

heroic /hɪˈɹoʊ.ɪk/

Sound 5: /iː/

"e" also sounds /iː/:

Chinese /tʃaɪˈnz/

sequence /ˈskwəns/

scenery /ˈsnəɹi/

Sound 6: /ɜ/

"e" mainly sounds /ɜ/ when followed by the letter "r":

verb /vɜrb/

nerve /nɜrv/

serve /sɜrv/

Tip!

"e" sounds /ɑ/ in the French loanwords "genre:"

genre /ˈʒɑnɹə/

The Letter E: Multigraphs

"e" can also appear in combination with other letters (mainly vowels and sometimes consonants). They can create distinct vowels:

ee

"ee" commonly has two sounds:

  • /iː/
  • /ɪə/

1. "ee" sounds /iː/:

tree /tr/

feet /ft/

eel /l/

2. "ee" also sounds /ɪə/:

cheer /tʃɪər/

engineering /ˌendʒɪˈnɪərɪŋ/

pioneering /ˌpaɪəˈnɪərɪŋ/

ea

"ea" commonly has four sounds:

  • /e/
  • /iː/
  • /eɪ/
  • /ɪə/

1. "ea" in the middle of words sounds /e/:

bread /bred/

head /hed/

thread /θred/

2. "ea" also sounds /iː/:

pea /p/

beach /btʃ/

teacher /ˈttʃər/

3. "ea" also sounds /eɪ/:

break /brk/

steak /stk/

4. "ea" also sounds /ɪə/:

idea /aɪˈdɪə/

theater /ˈθɪətər/

Tip!

"ea" sounds /e/ in the word "bear" and its combination:

bearing /ˈberɪŋ/

ei

"ei" commonly has two sounds:

  • /eɪ/
  • /iː/

1. "ei" mainly sounds /eɪ/:

veil /vl/

rein /rn/

reign /rn/

2. "ei" also sounds /iː/:

ceiling /ˈslɪŋ/

protein /ˈproʊtn/

receipt /rɪˈst/

Tip!

"ei" in these two words sound /aɪ/ or /iː/:

either /ˈðər/, /ˈðər/

neither /ˈnðər/, /ˈnðər/

eo

"eo" sounds /ə/:

dungeon /ˈdʌndʒən/

sturgeon /ˈstɝdʒən/

Tip!

"eo" sounds /iː/ in the word "people":

people /ˈppl/

eu

"eu" commonly has three sounds:

  • /jʊ/
  • /juː/
  • /uː/

1. "eu" sounds /jʊ/:

Europe /ˈrəp/

euro /ˈɹoʊ/

2. "eu" standing at the beginning of words can also sound /juː/:

eucalyptus /ˌjuːkəˈlɪptəs/

euphoria /juːˈfɔː.ri.ə/

Eugene /juːˈdʒiːn/

3. "eu" standing in the middle of words always sounds /uː/:

neutral /ˈntrəl/

pseudonym /ˈsdənɪm/

rheumatic /rˈmæt̬ik/

ew

"ew" commonly has two sounds:

  • /uː/
  • /oʊ/

1. "ew" sounds /uː/ at the end of words:

crew /kr/

screw /skr/

cashew /ˈkæʃ/

2. "ew" also sounds /oʊ/:

sew /s/

sewn /sn/

ey

"ey" commonly has two sounds:

  • /iː/
  • /eɪ/

1. "ey" sounds /iː/:

monkey /ˈmʌŋki/

donkey /ˈdɒŋki/

money /ˈmʌni/

2. "ey" also sounds /eɪ/:

prey /pr/

they/

ae

"ae" sounds /ɛ/:

aerial /ˈɛɹiəl/

aesthetic /ɛsˈθɛt.ɪk/

aerate /ˈɛːɹeɪt/

Tip!

"ae" sounds /eɪ/ in the word "sundae:"

sundae /ˈsʌnd/

ie

"ie" commonly has two sounds:

  • /iː/
  • /aɪ/

1. "ie" sounds /iː/:

achieve /əˈtʃv/

brief /brf/

cookie /ˈkʊki/

2. "i" after a consonant and before the vowel "e" sounds /aɪ/:

pie /p/

tie /t/

Tip!

"ie" in the word friend sounds /ɛ/:

friend /fɹɛnd/

oe

"oe" commonly has two sounds:

  • /oʊ/
  • /uː/

1. "oe" sounds /doʊ/:

doe /d/

hoe /h/

toe /t/

2. "oe" at the end of words also sounds /uː/:

shoe/

canoe /kəˈn/

Tip!

  • "oe" sounds /ʌ/ in the word "does:"

does /dʌz/

  • "oe" sounds /iː/ in French loanwords:

phoenix /ˈfnɪks/

foetus /ˈftəs/

ue

"ue" at the end or in the middle of words sounds /uː/

blue /bl/

clue /kl/

true /tr/

The Letter E: Uses

The letter "E" can be used as:

  • The third musical note
  • A grade in educational systems, like "she got an E in French."

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