Page 1 of 5
Look at cap and cape
- cap
- cape
Add an e to cap. Now it is cape!
The a says its name now: ay.
Get Ready
An e at the end makes the vowel say its name.
Words to know
- long vowelA vowel that says its own name, like the a in cape.
Learn It
Page 2 of 5
The e says nothing
- cape
You do not say the e.
Cape ends with the p sound.
But it changed the a.
Page 3 of 5
More words that change
- kite
- hope
- tube
Kit becomes kite. The i says eye.
Hop becomes hope. The o says oh.
That is a long vowel.
Page 4 of 5
Look at the end first
- tube
See an e at the end?
Then go back. The vowel says its name.
Page 5 of 5
Do not forget the e
- hop
- hope
Hop is a jump. Hope is a wish.
Forget the e and the word changes.
Your Turn
Answer each question in the yellow box.
Question 1 of 8
What does the e do in cape?
Question 2 of 8
Read tube. Where do you look first?
Question 3 of 8
Do you hear the e in kite?
Question 4 of 8
Which word has a long vowel?
Question 5 of 8
Add an e to hop. What word is it now?
Question 6 of 8
In cape, which letter does the e change?
Question 7 of 8
Sam wrote hop. He meant hope. What is missing?
Question 8 of 8
Kit becomes kite. What changed?
What You Learned
- An e at the end makes no sound.
- It makes the vowel say its name.
- Cap becomes cape. Kit becomes kite.
- Look at the end of a word first.
For the grown-up
Silent e is the first letter a child meets that makes no sound and changes a different letter, two places back. That is why it feels strange.
The reading habit to build is looking at the end of the word before deciding the vowel. When writing, a missing e makes a different word (hop for hope).