3.3: The Vowel <e>

Overview of the Vowel <e>

The sound the <e> spells in bet is called short <e>, and is written [e].

The sound the <e>s spell in beet is called long <e>, and is written [ē].

Examples

Note whether each letter <e>, or combination of letters, makes a short <e> or [e] sound versus a long <e> or [ē] sound.

1. lens - short <e> or [e]
2. feed - long <e> or [ē]

Review

Label each word as having a short or long vowel <e>.

1. slept
2. green
3. me
4. dense
5. fell
6. beam
7. stress
8. field
9. key
10. test

Label each word with [e] or [ē]. Note: [e] is the short sound and [ē] is the long sound.

1. peace
2. wedge
3. jeans
4. smear
5. teen
6. crept
7. nest
8. we
9. pen
10. fell

Show Answer

Label each word as having a short or long vowel <e>.

1. slept - short <e>
2. green - long <e>
3. me - long <e>
4. dense - short <e>
5. fell - short <e>
6. beam - long <e>
7. stress - short <e>
8. field - long <e>
9. key - long <e>
10. test - short <e>

Label each word with [e] or [ē]. Note: [e] is the short sound and [ē] is the long sound.

1. peace - [ē]
2. wedge - [e]
3. jeans - [ē]
4. smear - [ē]
5. teen - [ē]
6. crept - [e]
7. nest - [e]
8. we - [ē]
9. pen - [e]
10. fell - [e]

Spelling Long <e>

The most important spelling of [ē] is <e>, and it's almost always in the long patterns VCV and V.V.

Examples

Examples of long <e> in the VCV pattern: complete, evening, and supreme.

Examples of long <e> in the V.V pattern: create, idea, and courteous.

Review

1. Underline the <e>s that spell [ē] in each of the following words. 
   \begin{align*}
   & \text{area} && \text{medium} && \text{ingredient} && \text{vehicle} && \text{interfere}\\
   & \text{allegiance} && \text{genius} && \text{hyena} && \text{realize} && \text{supreme}\\
   & \text{obedience} && \text{evil} && \text{intervene} && \text{region} && \text{serene}\\
   & \text{complete} && \text{idea} && \text{rearranged} && \text{evening} && \text{courteous}\\
   & \text{create} && \text{legal} && \text{rheostat} && \text{precede} && \text{reality}\\
   & \text{concrete} && \text{senior} && \text{theater} && \text{encyclopedia} && \text{intermediate}
   \end{align*}
2. Sort the thirty words into the following two groups.

   Words with [ē] spelled <e> in the pattern...

   V.V		VCV

3. The <e> spelling of [ē] occasionally occurs in two patterns other than the very common VCV and V.V. Mark the <e> spellings of [ē] in the words below as we have done with maybe, vehicle, secret, and theater. Watch for the patterns in maybe and secret.
   \begin{align*}
       & \text{maybe} && \text{secret} && \text{anemone} && \text{legal}\\
       & \hspace{10mm}\text{v#} && \hspace{3mm}\text{vcrv} && \text{  } && \text{  }\\
       & \text{vehicle} && \text{theater} && \text{acne} && \text{recipe}\\
       & \hspace{3.5mm}\text{vcv} && \hspace{5.5mm}\text{v.}\hspace{2mm}\text{v} && \text{  } && \text{  }\\
       & \text{courteous} && \text{catastrophe} && \text{simile} && \text{egret}\\
       & \text{  } && \text{  } && \text{  } && \text{  }\\
       & \text{cathedral} && \text{she} && \text{allegiance} && \text{inebriated}
   \end{align*}
4. You should have found four words with [ē] spelled <e> in one pattern other than VCV or V.V, and you should have found seven words with [ē] spelled <e> in another pattern other than VCV or V.V. In the table below label the two columns with the proper patterns and sort the eleven words into the two groups.

   Words with [ē] spelled <e> in the pattern...

   V.V		VCV

5. What are the three words with [ē] spelled <e> in the VCV pattern?
6. What are the two words with [ē] spelled <e> in the V.V pattern?

Show Answer

1. \begin{align*}
   & ar\underline{e}a && m\underline{e}dium && ingr\underline{e}dient && v\underline{e}hicle && interf\underline{e}re\\
   & all\underline{e}giance && g\underline{e}nius && hy\underline{e}na && r\underline{e}alize && supr\underline{e}me\\
   & ob\underline{e}dience && \underline{e}vil && interv\underline{e}ne && r\underline{e}gion && ser\underline{e}ne\\
   & compl\underline{e}te && id\underline{e}a && r\underline{e}arranged && \underline{e}vening && court\underline{e}ous\\
   & cr\underline{e}ate && l\underline{e}gal && rh\underline{e}ostat && prec\underline{e}de && r\underline{e}ality\\
   & concr\underline{e}te && s\underline{e}nior && th\underline{e}ater && encyclop\underline{e}dia && interm\underline{e}diate
   \end{align*}
2.  

   Words with [ē] spelled <e> in the pattern...

   V.V		VCV
   area	courteous	allegiance	legal	evening
   create	reality	obedience	senior	precede
   idea		complete	ingredient	encyclopedia
   rearranged		concrete	hyena	interfere
   rheostat		medium	intervene	supreme
   theater		genius	vehicle	serene
   realize		intermediate	region	evil

3. \begin{align*}
       & \text{maybe} && \text{secret} && \text{anemone} && \text{legal}\\
       & \hspace{10mm}\text{v#} && \hspace{3mm}\text{vcrv} && \hspace{14mm}\text{v#} && \hspace{1.5mm}\text{vcv}\\
       & \text{vehicle} && \text{theater} && \text{acne} && \text{recipe}\\
       & \hspace{3mm}\text{vcv} && \hspace{5.5mm}\text{v.}\hspace{2mm}\text{v} && \hspace{5mm}\text{v#} && \hspace{10mm}\text{v#}\\
       & \text{courteous} && \text{catastrophe} && \text{simile} && \text{egret}\\
       & \hspace{13mm}\text{v.}\hspace{1mm}\text{v} && \hspace{14mm}\text{v#} && \hspace{10mm}\text{v#} && \text{vcrv}\\
       & \text{cathedral} && \text{she} && \text{allegiance} && \text{inebriated}\\
       & \hspace{9mm}\text{vcrv} && \hspace{2mm}\text{v#} && \hspace{5mm}\text{vcv} && \hspace{4mm}\text{vcrv}
   \end{align*}

4. Words with [ē] spelled <e> in the pattern...

   VCrV	V#
   secret	maybe	she
   cathedral	catastrophe	acne
   egret	anemone	recipe
   inebriated	simile

5. The three words with [ē] spelled <e> in the VCV pattern:
   \begin{align*}
       & \text{legal} && \text{allegiance} && \text{vehicle}\\
   \end{align*}

6. The two words with [ē] spelled <e> in the V.V pattern:
   \begin{align*}
       & \text{courteous} && \text{theater}\\
   \end{align*}

Long <e> Spelled <i> or <y>

Other than <e>, two very important spellings of [ē] are <i> and <y>. 

Examples

The <i> spelling of [ē] usually occurs in the V.V pattern and sometimes in the VCV pattern. It only occurs in the V# pattern in foreign words recently brought into our language, such as broccoli, spaghetti, and macaroni. The V# pattern is the one in which the <y> spelling of [ē] always occurs. Both the <i> and the <y> spellings often occur in weakly stressed syllables.

Review

1. Underline the <i>s and <y>s that are spelling [ē] in the following words.
   \begin{align*}
       & \text{ability} && \text{gasoline} && \text{champion} && \text{angry} && \text{community}\\
       & \text{curiosity} && \text{enthusiasm} && \text{machine} && \text{dignity} && \text{glorious}\\
       & \text{magazine} && \text{fiery} && \text{guardian} && \text{medium} && \text{police}\\
       & \text{gloomy} && \text{obedience} && \text{obvious} && \text{period} && \text{library}\\
       & \text{variety} && \text{reality} && \text{piano} && \text{routine} && \text{various}\\
       & \text{jolliest} && \text{chocolaty} && \text{ingredient} && \text{polliwog} && \text{encyclopedia}
   \end{align*}
2. Sort the words into the following two groups. One word goes into both groups.

   Words with [ē] spelled...

   <y>		<i>

3. Now sort the words with [ē] spelled <i> into the following two groups.

   Words with [ē] spelled <i> in the pattern...

   V.V		VCV

4. In what pattern does the <y> spelling of [ē] always occur? _______.
5. Five words in the list in Item 1 that contain [ē] spelled <e> are...

Show Answer

1. \begin{align*}
       & abilit\underline{y} && gasol\underline{i}ne && champ\underline{i}on && angr\underline{y} && communit\underline{y}\\
       & cur\underline{i}osit\underline{y} && enthus\underline{i}asm && mach\underline{i}ne && dignit\underline{y} && glor\underline{i}ous\\
       & magaz\underline{i}ne && fier\underline{y} && guard\underline{i}an && med\underline{i}um && pol\underline{i}ce\\
       & gloom\underline{y} && obed\underline{i}ence && obv\underline{i}ous && per\underline{i}od && librar\underline{y}\\
       & variet\underline{y} && realit\underline{y} && p\underline{i}ano && rout\underline{i}ne && var\underline{i}ous\\
       & joll\underline{i}est && chocolat\underline{y} && ingred\underline{i}ent && poll\underline{i}wog && encycloped\underline{i}a
   \end{align*}

2. Words with [ē] spelled...

   <y>		<i>
   ability	chocolaty	curiosity	piano
   curiosity	angry	magazine	ingredient
   gloomy	dignity	jolliest	medium
   variety	community	gasoline	period
   fiery	library	enthusiasm	routine
   reality		obedience	polliwog
   		champion	glorious
   		machine	police
   		guardian	various
   		obvious	encyclopedia

3. Words with [ē] spelled <i> in the pattern...

   V.V		VCV
   curiosity	piano	magazine
   jolliest	ingredient	gasoline
   enthusiasm	medium	machine
   obedience	period	routine
   champion	glorious	polliwog
   guardian	various	police
   obvious	encyclopedia

4. In what pattern does the <y> spelling of [ē] always occur? V#.

5. Five words in the list in Item 1 that contain [ē] spelled <e> are...
   \begin{align*}
       & \text{obedience} && \text{reality} && \text{ingredient} && \text{medium} && \text{encyclopedia}
   \end{align*}

Explore More

Word Alchemy. Hundreds of years ago alchemy was the ancestor of modern chemistry. The alchemists worked hard trying to change lead into gold. In the puzzle below you can change the word lead into the word gold. Here are the rules:

1. Any shaded square must contain the same letter as the square directly above it.
2. Any unshaded square must contain a different letter from the square directly above it.
3. Every row must contain an English word.

 

Hints: Since you know that the two shaded squares in row 2 must contain the same letters as the two squares directly above them, you know that they must contain <e> and <a>. And since you know that the two shaded squares in row 4 contain the same letters as the two squares directly above them, you know that the word in row 3 must end with the letters <ld>. You should write the <ea> and <ld> into rows 2 and 3. You won't know what the shaded square in row 3 contains until you know the word that goes in row 2, so you can't write in the first letter in row 3 yet. That gives you the following:

Your job now is to find two words that fit into rows 2 and 3. Each must contain four letters. Because of rule number one above, you know that the first word must have <ea> in the middle; the second must end in <ld>, and they must both start with the same letter. Because of rule number two, you also know that the word in row 2 cannot start with <l> or end with <d> above, and the word in row 3 cannot have <go> as its first two letters. The two words beat and bald would work. So would meat and mild. There are other workable pairs beyond this example.

Here are some more Word Alchemies for you to solve.

Show Answer

Digraph Spellings of Long <e>

A digraph is a combination of two letters used to spell a single sound. Long <e> is spelled by a number of different digraphs like <ea>, <ee>, and <ey>, as well as others. 

Examples

Some high frequency words with [ē] spelled <ey> include: abbey, alley, attorney, barley, chimney, donkey, honey, jersey, journey, key, money, monkey, turkey, and valley.

The digraph <oe> comes from Greek. Several words with <oe> have more English-looking spellings with just plain <e>: ameba, for instance, and subpena.

The digraph <ae> comes from Latin. In Latin <ae> is a common ending for plural nouns. Several of these nouns have more regular English plurals with -s: amoebas (or amebas), for instance.

The digraph <eo> in people comes from an old French word that was sometimes spelled people, sometimes peple, sometimes poeple. The French word came from the Latin word populus, which meant “people” and also gave us words like popular and population. Remembering the <o> in popular and population can help you remember the <o> in people.

Review

1. Read the following words aloud. Underline the digraphs that are spelling [ē] in the following words.
   \begin{align*}
       & \text{agreement} && \text{referee} && \text{pioneers} && \text{colleague} && \text{subpoena}\\
       & \text{seagulls} && \text{donkey} && \text{larvae} && \text{amoebae} && \text{proceed}\\
       & \text{algae} && \text{foreseeable} && \text{league} && \text{thirteen} && \text{pulley}\\
       & \text{peaceable} && \text{greasy} && \text{leading} && \text{trolley} && \text{disease}\\
       & \text{committee} && \text{guarantee} && \text{employee} && \text{people} && \text{breathed}
   \end{align*}
2. Now sort the words into the following groups.

   Words with [ē] spelled with the digraph...

   <ee>		<ea>		<ey>

    

   Words with [ē] spelled with the digraph...

   <ae>		<oe>	<eo>

   
   Notice that the digraph <ey> only spells [ē] when it comes at the end of the word. In this way it is very much like the <y> spelling of [ē], which also only occurs at the end of the word.

Show Answer

1. \begin{align*}
       & agr\underline{ee}ment && refer\underline{ee} && pion\underline{ee}rs && coll\underline{ea}gue && subp\underline{oe}na\\
       & s\underline{ea}gulls && donk\underline{ey} && larv\underline{ae} && am\underline{oe}b\underline{ae} && proc\underline{ee}d\\
       & alg\underline{ae} && fores\underline{ee}able && l\underline{ea}gue && thirt\underline{ee}n && pull\underline{ey}\\
       & p\underline{ea}ceable && gr\underline{ea}sy && l\underline{ea}ding && troll\underline{ey} && dis\underline{ea}se\\
       & committ\underline{ee} && guarant\underline{ee} && employ\underline{ee} && p\underline{eo}ple && br\underline{ea}thed
   \end{align*}

2. Words with [ē] spelled with the digraph...

   <ee>		<ea>		<ey>
   agreements	pioneers	seagulls	disease	donkey
   committee	employee	leading	colleague	trolley
   referee	thirteen	peaceable	greasy	pully
   foreseeable	proceed	league	brea

    

   Words with [ē] spelled with the digraph...

   <ae>		<oe>	<eo>
   algae	amoebae	amoebae	people
   larvae		subpoena

Long <e> and the <i>-before-<e> Rule

The <i>-before-<e> rule is the best known bit of spelling wisdom around.  

It states: <i> before <e>, except after <c>, or when spelling [ā] as in neighbor and weigh.

Note that the <ie> spelling of [ē] is quite common where certain stems and suffixes come together. If a stem that ends in a consonant plus <y> has a suffix added to it that starts with <e>, when the <y> changes to <i>, the resulting <ie> often spells [ē]. 

Examples

When spelling long <e>, which is usually the case, <ie> or <ei>? <ie>

Which is usually the case, <cie> or <cei>? <cei>

Add the suffix to create an <ie> that spells [ē]. 
    gallery + es = galler y+ i + es = galleries

Review

1. If you're spelling long <e> right after the letter <c>, is it <ei> or <ie>? ______
2. Any words that fit either of those two cases are instances of the rule, while words that do not fit into one of the three cases are holdouts. Among the following thirty words you should find twenty-two instances and eight holdouts. Underline the <ie> and <ei> spellings of [ē]:
   \begin{align*}
       & \text{grief} && \text{yielding} && \text{either} && \text{priest} && \text{deceiving}\\
       & \text{relief} && \text{ceiling} && \text{conceive} && \text{prairie} && \text{movies}\\
       & \text{receive} && \text{weird} && \text{believe} && \text{receipt} && \text{collie}\\
       & \text{seize} && \text{shriek} && \text{field} && \text{deceit} && \text{receiver}\\
       & \text{hygiene} && \text{thief} && \text{protein} && \text{financier} && \text{weir}\\
       & \text{niece} && \text{calorie} && \text{leisure} && \text{perceives} && \text{conceit}
   \end{align*}
3. Sort the above words into the following groups. Be ready to discuss your reasons for putting each word into each group.

   Instances of the Rule			Holdouts to the Rule
   Words with [ē] spelled <ei> after <c>	Words with [ē] spelled <ie> elsewhere

4. Combine the following stems and suffixes. In the words that you form, mark the letters that spell [ē].

   Stem + Suffix	= Analysis	= Word
   gallery + es	=  galler y+ i + es	= galleries
   hurry + ed	=	=
   marry + ed	=	=
   study + er	=	=
   vary + er	=	=
   allergy + es	=	=
   fallacy + es	=	=

Show Answer

1. If you're spelling long <e> right after the letter <c>, is it <ei> or <ie>? <ei>
2. Any words that fit either of those two cases are instances of the rule. Any words that do not fit into one of the three cases are holdouts. Among the following thirty words you should find twenty-two instances and eight holdouts. Underline the <ie> and <ei> spellings of [ē]:
   \begin{align*}
       & gr\underline{ie}f && y\underline{ie}lding && \underline{ei}ther && pr\underline{ie}st && dec\underline{ei}ving\\
       & rel\underline{ie}f && c\underline{ei}ling && conc\underline{ei}ve && prair\underline{ie} && mov\underline{ie}s\\
       & rec\underline{ei}ve && w\underline{ei}rd && believe && rec\underline{ei}pt && coll\underline{ie}\\
       & s\underline{ei}ze && shr\underline{ie}k && f\underline{ie}ld && dec\underline{ei}t && rec\underline{ei}ver\\
       & hyg\underline{ie}ne && th\underline{ie}f && prot\underline{ei}n && financ\underline{ie}r && w\underline{ei}r\\
       & n\underline{ie}ce && calor\underline{ie} && l\underline{ei}sure && perc\underline{ei}ves && conc\underline{ei}t
   \end{align*}
3. Sort the above words into the following groups. Be ready to discuss your reasons for putting each word into each group.

   Instances of the Rule			Holdouts to the Rule
   Words with [ē] spelled <ei> after <c>	Words with [ē] spelled <ie> elsewhere
   receive	grief	calorie	seize
   ceiling	relief	believe	weird
   conceive	hygiene	field	either
   receipt	niece	priest	protein
   deceit	yielding	prairie	leisure
   perceives	shriek	movies	financier
   deceiving	theif	collie	weir
   receiver
   conciet

4. Combine the following stems and suffixes. In the words that you form, mark the letters that spell [ē].

   Stem + Suffix	= Analysis	= Word
   gallery + es	=  galler y+ i + es	= galleries
   hurry + ed	=  hurr y+ i + es	= hurried
   marry + ed	=  marr y+ i + es	= married
   study + er	=  stud y+ i + es	= studier
   vary + er	=  var y+ i + es	= varies
   allergy + es	=  allerg y+ i + es	= allergies
   fallacy + es	=  fallac y+ i + es	= fallacies

The <i>-before-<e> Rule and Spelling Long <a> and Long <i>

The I-Before-E Rule:

It's <i> before <e>, except after <c>

Or when spelling [ā], as in neighbor or weigh.

Examples

When you are spelling long <e> the first line of the I-Before-E jingle is a good guide. The second line of the jingle is a good guide when you are spelling long <a>. Long <a> is never spelled <ie>. So far as the choice between <ie> and <ei> is concerned, when spelling [ā] always choose <ei>, like in the words neighbor and weigh.

Review

1. Underline the letters that are spelling long <a> in the following words. Do not underline <gh> as part of the spelling of long <a>:
   \begin{align*}& \text{neighbor} && \text{eight} && \text{veil} && \text{reindeer} \\ & \text{vein} && \text{heir} && \text{freight} && \text{surveillance} \\ & \text{reign} && \text{weigh} && \text{their} && \text{sleigh} \end{align*}
2. Sort the words into these two groups:

   Words in which the <ei>...

   comes before <gh>		does not come before <gh>

3. We can make the I-Before-E Rule even more useful if we add something about spelling long <i> to it. Underline the letters that spell long <i> in the following words. Again, don't underline any silent <gh> after long <i>:
   \begin{align*}& \text{eiderdown} && \text{height} && \text{feisty} && \text{poltergeist} \\ & \text{kaleidoscope} && \text{untie} && \text{seismic} && \text{either} \\ & \text{magpie} && \text{neither} && \text{sleight} && \text{underlie}\end{align*}
4. Sort the words into these two groups:

   Words in which the [i] is...

   at the beginning of the word	in the middle of the word		at the end of the word

5. Among these words, is [ī] at the end of the word spelled <ei> or <ie>? _________
6. The <ie> spelling of long <e> often occurs when a stem that ends in <y> has a suffix added to it that starts with <e>: gallery+es = galler y+ i + es = galleries. The <ie> spelling of long <i> sometimes occurs in the same way: sky + es = sk y+ i + es = skies, with [ī] spelled <ie>. Combine the following stems and suffixes and underline the letters that spell [ī]:

   Stem + Suffix	= Analysis	= Word
   sky + es	=  sk y+ i + es	= skies
   ally + es	=	=
   dignify + ed	=	=
   satisfy + ed	=	=
   modify + es	=	=
   terrify + ed	=	=
   multiply + ed	=	=
   testify + es	=	=
   qualify + ed	=	=
   dry + es	=	=

   Notice that this <ie> spelling of long <i> also comes at the end of the free stem, just as it does in words like untie and magpie. So now our I-Before-E Rule can tell us the following things:

   a. When we're spelling long <e>, it's <i> before <e> except after <c>.

   b. When we're spelling long <a> it's <e> before <i>.

   c. When we're spelling long <i>, it's <i> before <e> at the end of free stems, but it's <e> before <i> everyplace else.

Show Answer

1. Underline the letters that are spelling long <a> in the following words. Do not underline <gh> as part of the spelling of long <a>:
   \begin{align*}& n\underline{ei}ghbor && \underline{ei}ght && v\underline{ei}l && r\underline{ei}ndeer\\& v\underline{ei}n && h\underline{ei}r && fr\underline{ei}ght && surv\underline{ei}llance\\& r\underline{ei}gn && w\underline{ei}gh && th\underline{ei}r && sl\underline{ei}gh\end{align*}

2. Sort the words into these two groups:

   Words in which the <ei>...

   comes before <gh>		does not come before <gh>
   neighbor	sleigh	vein	veil
   eight		reign	their
   weigh		heir	reindeer
   freight			surveillance

3. We can make the l-Before-E Rule even more useful if we add something about spelling long <i> to it. Underline the letters that spell long <i> in the following words. Again, don't underline any silent <gh> after long <i>:
   \begin{align*}& \underline{ei}derdown && h\underline{ei}ght && f\underline{ei}sty && polterg\underline{ei}st\\& kal\underline{ei}doscope && unt\underline{ie} && s\underline{ei}smic && \underline{ei}ther\\& magp\underline{ie} && n\underline{ei}ther && sl\underline{ei}ght && underl\underline{ie}\end{align*}

4. Sort the words into these two groups:

   Words in which the [i] is...

   at the beginning of the word	in the middle of the word		at the end of the word
   eiderdown	kaleidoscope	seismic	magpie
   either	height	sleight	untie
   	neither	poltergeist	underlie
   	fiesty

5. Among these words, is [ī] at the end of the word spelled <ei> or <ie>? <ie>
   At the beginning or in the middle of words [ī] is spelled <ei>.

6. Combine the following stems and suffixes and underline the letters that spell [ī]:

   Stem + Suffix	= Analysis	= Word
   sky + es	=  sk y+ i + es	= skies
   ally + es	=  all y+ i + es	= allies
   dignify + ed	=  dignif y+ i + ed	= dignified
   satisfy + ed	=  satisf y+ i + ed	= satisfied
   modify + es	=  modif y+ i + es	= modifies
   terrify + ed	=  terrif y+ i + ed	= terrified
   multiply + ed	=  multipl y+ i + ed	= multiplied
   testify + es	=  testif y+ i + es	= testifies
   qualify + ed	=  qualif y+ i + ed	= qualified
   dry + es	=  dr y+ i + es	= dries

Exceptions to the <i>-before-<e> Rule

The I-Before-E Rule describes the following five cases: 

1. When we're spelling long <e>, anywhere except after <c>, it's <i> before <e>.
2. When we're spelling long <e> after <c>, it's <e> before <i>.
3. When we're spelling long <a> it's <e> before <i>.
4. When we're spelling long <i> at the end of free stems, it's <i> before <e>.
5. When we're spelling long <i> anywhere else, it's <e> before <i>.

Any words that fit any of those cases are instances of the rule. Any words that do not fit into any of the cases are holdouts.

Examples

These five words (leisure, protein, seize, weird, and financier) are hardcore holdouts to the <l>-Before-<E> Rule. There are seven others: fiery, foreign, counterfeit, sovereign, heifer, weir, hierarchy.

Review

1. Below are sixty-four words. All of the words contain <ie> or <ei> spelling either [ā], [ē], or [ī]. Read them carefully and then sort the instances into the matrix below. As you write each instance into the matrix, check it off the list. There are fifty-seven instances.
   \begin{align*}
       & \text{allergies} && \text{feisty} && \text{neither} && \text{skies}\\
       & \text{allies} && \text{field} && \text{niece} && \text{sleigh}\\
       & \text{believe} && \text{financier} && \text{perceives} && \text{sleight}\\
       & \text{calorie} && \text{freight} && \text{poltergeist} && \text{studied}\\
       & \text{ceiling} && \text{galleries} && \text{prairie} && \text{surveillance}\\
       & \text{collie} && \text{grief} && \text{priest} && \text{their}\\
       & \text{conceit} && \text{height} && \text{protein} && \text{thief}\\
       & \text{conceive} && \text{heir} && \text{qualified} && \text{underlie}\\
       & \text{deceit} && \text{hygiene} && \text{receiver} && \text{varies}\\
       & \text{dignified} && \text{kaleidoscope} && \text{reign} && \text{veil}\\
       & \text{dried} && \text{leisure} && \text{reindeer} && \text{vein}\\
       & \text{eiderdown} && \text{magpie} && \text{relief} && \text{weigh}\\
       & \text{eight} && \text{married} && \text{seismic} && \text{weight}\\
       & \text{either} && \text{movies} && \text{seize} && \text{weird}\\
       & \text{fallacies} && \text{neighbor} && \text{shriek} && \text{yielding}
   \end{align*}

   	Instances of the Rule
   Case 1: [ē] = <ei> not after <c>
   Case 2: [ē] = <ie> not after <c>
   Case 3: [ā] = <ei>
   Case 4: [ī] at the end of free stems = <ie>
   Case 5: [ī] at the beginning or in the middle of stems = <ei>

2. In addition to the fifty-seven instances, among the sixty-four words there are just a few holdouts. Two of these holdouts can each be pronounced two different ways. When pronounced one way, they are holdouts. When pronounced the other way, they are instances. These two only apparent holdouts are:
3. Four of the other true holdouts have [ē] spelled by an <ei> that does not come after <c>. These four holdouts are:
4. The last of the five true holdouts has [ē] spelled <ie> after <c>. It is:

Show Answer

1. 	Instances of the Rule
   Case 1: [ē] = <ei> not after <c>	ceiling conceive deceiving receipt	conceit deceit perceives receiver
   Case 2: [ē] = <ie> not after <c>	allergies calorie fallacies galleries hurried married niece priest shriek thief yielding	believe collie field grief hygiene movies prairie relief studied varies
   Case 3: [ā] = <ei>	eight heir reign sleigh their vein weight	freight neighbor reindeer surveillance veil weigh
   Case 4: [ī] at the end of free stems = <ie>	allies dried qualified underlie	dignified magpie skies untie
   Case 5: [ī] at the beginning or in the middle of stems = <ei>	eiderdown height poltergeist sleight	feisty kaleidoscope seismic

2. \begin{align*}
       & \text{either} && \text{neither}
   \end{align*}
3. \begin{align*}
       & \text{leisure} && \text{protein} && \text{seize} && \text{weird}
   \end{align*}
4. \begin{align*}
       & \text{financier}
   \end{align*}