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.

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	e
Name	e (pronounced /ˈiː/)
Common Sound(s)	/ə/, /∅/, /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 first sound of 'e' is /ə/:

often /ˈɔf(t)ən/

silent /ˈsaɪlənt/

envelope /ˈɛnvəˌloʊp/

Sound 2: /∅/

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

Sound 3: /ɛ/

'e' also sounds /ɛ/:

bed /bɛd/

egg /ɛɡ/

credit /ˈkɹɛdɪt/

lend /lɛnd/

Sound 4: /ɪ/

'e' also sounds /ɪ/:

pretty /ˈpɹɪti/

retrieve /rɪˈtriːv/

heroic /hɪˈɹoʊ.ɪk/

Sound 5: /iː/

'e' also sounds /iː/:

Chinese /tʃaɪˈniːz/

sequence /ˈsiːkwəns/

scenery /ˈsiːnəɹi/

Sound 6: /ɜ/

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

verb /vɜrb/

nerve /nɜrv/

serve /sɜrv/

Tip!

'e' sounds /ɒ/ in the French loanwords 'genre':

genre /ˈʒɒnrə/

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 /triː/

feet /fiːt/

eel /iːl/

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 /piː/

beach /biːtʃ/

teacher /ˈtiːtʃər/

3. 'ea' also sounds /eɪ/:

break /breɪk/

steak /steɪk/

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 /veɪl/

rein /reɪn/

reign /reɪn/

2. 'ei' also sounds /iː/:

ceiling /ˈsiːlɪŋ/

protein /ˈproʊtiːn/

receipt /rɪˈsiːt/

Tip!

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

either /ˈaɪðər/, /ˈiːðər/

neither /ˈnaɪðər/, /ˈniːðər/

eo

'eo' sounds /ə/:

dungeon /ˈdʌndʒən/

sturgeon /ˈstɝdʒən/

Tip!

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

people /ˈpiːpl/

eu

'eu' commonly has three sounds:

/jʊ/
/juː/
/uː/

1. 'eu' sounds /jʊ/:

Europe /ˈjʊrəp/

euro /ˈjʊɹoʊ/

2. 'eu' standing at the beginning of words always sounds /juː/:

eucalyptus /ˌjuːkəˈlɪptəs/

euphoria /juːˈfɔː.ri.ə/

Eugene /juːˈdʒiːn/

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

neutral /ˈnuːtrəl/

pseudonym /ˈsuːdənɪm/

rheumatic /ruːˈmæt̬ik/

ew

'ew' commonly has two sounds:

/uː/
/oʊ/

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

crew /kruː/

screw /skruː/

cashew /ˈkæʃuː/

2. 'ew' also sounds /oʊ/:

sew /soʊ/

sewn /soʊn/

ey

'ey' commonly has two sounds:

/iː/
/eɪ/

1. 'ey' sounds /iː/ at the end of words:

monkey /ˈmʌŋki/

donkey /ˈdɒŋki/

money /ˈmʌni/

2. 'ey' at the end of words sound /eɪ/:

prey /preɪ/

they /ðeɪ/

ae

'ae' sounds /ɛ/:

aerial /ˈɛɹiəl/

aesthetic /ɛsˈθɛt.ɪk/

aerate /ˈɛːɹeɪt/

Tip!

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

sundae /ˈsʌndeɪ/

ie

'ie' commonly has two sounds:

/iː/
/aɪ/

1. 'ie' sounds /iː/:

achieve /əˈtʃiːv/

brief /briːf/

cookie /ˈkʊki/

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

pie /paɪ/

tie /taɪ/

Tip!

'ie' in the word friend sounds /ɛ/:

friend /fɹɛnd/

oe

'oe' commonly has two sounds:

/oʊ/
/uː/

1. 'oe' sounds /doʊ/:

doe /doʊ/

hoe /hoʊ/

toe /toʊ/

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

shoe /ʃuː/

canoe /kəˈnuː/

Tip!

'oe' sounds /ʌ/in the word 'does':

does /dʌz/

'oe' sounds /iː/ in French loanwords:

phoenix /ˈfiːnɪks/

foetus /ˈfiːtəs/

ue

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

blue /bluː/

clue /kluː/

true /truː/

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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