Guide · spelling patterns
Silent E Words: The Rule and a Word List
A silent e at the end of a word makes the vowel before it say its name: cap becomes cape, kit becomes kite, hop becomes hope. The e makes no sound of its own. Kids usually meet it in 1st grade.
The word list
a_e: cake, make, name, game, late, gate, plane. i_e: bike, like, time, ride, five, kite, smile. o_e: home, bone, rope, note, hope, stone. u_e: cube, tune, mule, flute, huge. e_e (rare): these, theme, Pete.
Minimal pairs make it click
Put pairs side by side: cap/cape, kit/kite, hop/hope, cut/cute, not/note. Read one, then the other. Kids hear the vowel change and see the e that caused it.
The usual mistakes
Leaving the e off (cak for cake), or adding it where it doesn't belong (hade for had). Both come from not hearing whether the vowel is long or short. Say the word slowly and listen.
How to do it with Spellcove
- Play the 1st grade silent e list in the game.
- Cannon Gaps and Chunk Fishing are the best mini games for spotting the pattern.
- Print a look-say-cover-write-check sheet of silent e words.
- Mix in short-vowel words so your child has to decide whether the e is needed.
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Questions people ask
Why is it called magic e?
Because it changes the vowel's sound without making a sound itself. Some teachers call it bossy e or sneaky e.
Does silent e always make the vowel long?
Usually, but not always: have, give, love and come break the rule and are learned as heart words.
Take the cove with you
The Spellcove app has everything you can play here, plus the parts that need a real app: every word read aloud so kids can practice alone, offline play for car rides, a parent view of which words have stuck, and the full treasure collection.
Coming soon on theApp Store