The Silent E Rule

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The vowel is short unless there is a reason for it to be long. Here is one reason:

câp + e = cäpe

This e is silent, but it makes the a long.

mâd + e = mäde
The dog is mâd.
He mäde a rumpus.

More Examples:

cût + e = cüte
Cût the cake.
The cat is cüte.

hôp + e = höpe
Hôp on one foot.
Höpe for spring.

The e is silent, but it makes the vowel long.

säle, säfe, säme, säke


In each word the e is silent, but it makes the a long. The consonant between them changes. We shot this by a—e (a consonant e) says ä as in safe

We say "consonant" and use a dash because the consonant changes but the a and the e stay the same.


Likewise:

pïpe..........i—e
pïke..........i—e
pïle...........i—e
pïne..........i—e

i—e (i consonant e) says i as in pine

röle...........o—e
röde..........o—e
röpe..........o—e
röse..........o—e

o—e (o consonant e) says ö as in home


The first letter can change too. The only thing that stays the same is the vowel consonant e.

tube...........u—e
puke...........u—e
fume..........u—e
cute...........u—e
use............u—e

u—e (u consonant e) says U as in mule


The words for e—e are harder:

these..............e—e
compete.........e—e
concede..........e—e
sincere............e—e

e—e (e consonant e) says ë as in these
(the letter c sounds like s before e)


Now you are ready for the Silent E Rule.

Dropping of the Silent E

Look at:

Like + ing = liking

What has happened? The silent e is dropped.

But:

like + ly = likely

The silent e is not dropped. ↑▲▲▲▲▲▲▲↑