Sound of the Week

 Policeman E (also known as Silent E)

Policeman E “Say your name!” Policeman E is found at the end of a syllable. He stands at the end to make a trapped vowel strong. The vowel says its letter name (its long/strong sound), but he himself is super silent.

For example; mad becomes made, them becomes theme, pip becomes pipe, slid becomes slide, rob becomes robe, cut becomes cute.

A single consonant is always between the vowel and Policeman E in a Policeman E syllable. Policeman E can only jump one consonant to make a vowel strong, so in words like ‘little’ and ‘charge’ the E is not a Policeman E.

There are always exceptions to a rule. A few common examples are, ‘love’, ‘above’, ‘are’. ‘have’, ‘give’ and ‘live’.

Extra for experts: 1. In words like ‘love’, the O says a short /u/ sound. This often happens to O when it comes before V, N or TH. 2. English words do not end with a V. The E at the end of ‘have’, for example, does not affect pronunciation. The E is there because it would otherwise end in V.

Policeman E is a split digraph. A digraph is two letters that make one sound. The vowel and Policeman E make one sound - the letter name of the vowel. 

a_e

 

i_e

 

o_e

u_e