kīte sĭt
rīce mĭll
līme rĭp
nōte nŏt
rōde rŏd
sōle Tŏm
cūre bŭt cūte rŭn (a)būse crŭst
scұthe (like)lў
If we observe the foregoing list of words we shall see that each of the words containing a long vowel followed by a single consonant sound ends in silent e. After the short vowels there is no silent e. In each case in which we have the silent e there is a single long vowel followed by a single consonant, or two consonants combining to form a single sound, as th in scythe. Such words as roll, toll, etc., ending in double l have no silent e though the vowel is long; and such words as great, meet, pail, etc., in which two vowels combine with the sound of one, take no silent e at the end. We shall consider these exceptions more fully later; but a single long vowel followed by a single consonant always takes silent e at the end. As carefully stated in this way, the rule has no exceptions. The reverse, however, is not always true, for a few words containing a short vowel followed by a single consonant do take silent e; but there are very few of them. The principal are have, give, {(I)} live, love, shove, dove, above; also none, some, come, and some words in three or more syllables, such as domicile.
2. Beside the long and short sounds of the vowels there are several other vowel sounds.
A has two other distinct sounds:
̣ạ broad, like aw, as in all, talk, etc.
ä Italian, like ah, as in far, father, etc.
Double o has two sounds different from long or short o alone: