Speech Work: Vowel /e/ – JSS1 English Lesson Note (First Term)

The vowel /e/ is a short vowel sound. It is the sound in the middle of words such as bet, pen and leg. To say it, open your mouth a little, keep your tongue forward and your lips slightly spread, and make the sound short and clear.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

• pronounce the vowel /e/ correctly;
• pick out words that contain /e/;
• say words with /e/ differently from words with /ɪ/ and /æ/;
• name some spellings that give the sound /e/.

What is the vowel /e/?

A vowel is a speech sound made with the air flowing freely through the mouth. English has short and long vowels. The sound /e/ is a short vowel, so we do not hold it for long.

How do we make the sound /e/?

1. Open your mouth a little, about halfway.
2. Keep the front of your tongue raised towards the front of your mouth.
3. Spread your lips slightly. Do not round them.
4. Let your voice sound, then stop quickly.

Examples of words with /e/

Sentences for practice

• The men fed the hen.
• My pet has a sore leg.
• Put the pen on the desk, then open the book.

How is /e/ spelled?

The letter e is the most common spelling of /e/, as in pen and men. Other spellings also give the same sound.

• e: bed, red, ten
• ea: head, bread
• a: many, any
• ai: said
• ie: friend

How is /e/ different from similar sounds?

Students often confuse /e/ with /ɪ/ and /æ/. Read each row aloud slowly and listen to the difference.

Evaluation

1. Which word has the vowel /e/? (a) bit (b) bet (c) bat (d) but
2. Which word does not have the vowel /e/? (a) pen (b) men (c) ten (d) pin
3. Which word has the same vowel sound as “leg”? (a) bag (b) peg (c) big (d) bug
4. Which pair has /e/ in both words? (a) pen, pin (b) men, ten (c) bat, bad (d) sit, set
5. In which word is the sound /e/ spelled with the letters “ea”? (a) heat (b) head (c) beat (d) seat

Answer key

1. (b) bet. 2. (d) pin. 3. (b) peg. 4. (b) men, ten. 5. (b) head.

Assignment

1. Write out the words that contain /e/: sit, red, ten, bag, egg, hot, desk.
2. In each pair, write the word that has /e/: (pin, pen), (bat, bet), (man, men), (lid, led).

Answer key

1. red, ten, egg, desk. 2. pen, bet, men, led.