5 Most Common Silent-E Rules

Learning to read and write in English is not easy. The 44 phonemes (sounds) in the English language are represented by 26 letters. More than 200 different letter combinations also represent these 44 phonemes. This mismatch results in what experts call a “deep orthography,” which means there are many ways to spell the same sound or many sounds for some spellings.

While English is a complex language, there is a system to its orthography. In fact, more than half of all English words follow established rules or consistently use common spellings. As we learn this system of rules that govern most of our words, it demystifies the “kookiness” of the way English works, making it easier to read and write.

What is the Final-E Rule?

One of the English language’s more frustrating aspects is the “Silent-E” or “Final-E” rule. To new, emergent, or struggling English readers, the Silent Final-E seems to appear randomly. Many educators know that a Final-E makes the vowel sound long, like in the words make, home, smile, and cute. But the truth is there are many words in which the Silent-E does not affect the vowel sound, and knowing the rules behind these words simplifies reading and writing. Many adults, even teachers, are not familiar with all these rules! Unlocking the mystery of Silent Final-E really does make spelling and reading so much easier!

Below are the five rules that explain a majority of Silent Final-E words and are the most important for students to know and apply. These are listed in order of prevalence.

Most Common Silent-E Rules

Rule # 1:

There is one consonant between the vowel in the word and the Silent-E. This results in the long vowel sound because of the Silent Final-E.

Examples include:

• tape
• strike
• globe
• fume

Rule #2:

English words do not end in v or u. If an English word ends in one of these sounds, a Final-E is added. This is a consonant spelling rule. The Final-E is not there to change the pronunciation of the vowel but to prevent the words from ending in u or v.

Examples include:

• have
• blue
• adjective
• argue
• give
• rescue

Rule #3:

To soften the c /s/ and g /j/ at the end of a word. The Silent-E is added, so these words will not be pronounced with a hard c /k/ or hard g /g/.

Examples include:

• force
• voice
• absence
• large
• change
• revenge

Note: Some words follow a combination of Rule #1 and Rule #3. Examples include:

• ice
• face
• place
• age
• rage

Rule #4:

Consonant -le syllables. The /l/ sound can be sustained in pronunciation, meaning it can form a new syllable without a heard vowel sound. Since “Every Syllable Must Contain a Vowel,” Silent-E must be added to the end of words that have Consonant-le patterns.

Examples include:

• ta-ble
• nee-dle
• puz-zle
• tur-tle
• waf-fle

Rule # 5:

Add a Final-E to words that end in a voiced TH. This tells you when the digraph TH is voiced at the end of a word.

Examples include:

• bathe
• soothe
• scathe
• teethe
• clothe
• breathe

Exceptions to the Silent-E Rule

The following are some words that are an exception to the Silent-E rule: 

• Love: The "e" does not make the "o" long. Historically, English pronunciation changes have made "love" an exception.
• Glove: Similar to "love," the "e" does not make the "o" long, likely due to changes in English vowel pronunciation over time. 
• Above: The "e" does not make the "o" long. The word's pronunciation has evolved differently from the silent E rule.
• Have: The "e" does not make the "a" long. Changes in pronunciation over centuries have made "have" an exception. 
• (To) Live: When pronounced "liv," the "e" does not make the "i" long. It depends on context, as "live" can also be pronounced "laiv." 
• Come: The "e" does not make the "o" long. This word has retained its historical pronunciation.
• There: The "e" at the end is silent, but it doesn't follow the usual silent E rule. The word's pronunciation comes from Old English. 
• Gone: The "e" does not make the "o" long. Historical pronunciation changes have made it an exception. 
• Are: The "e" is silent, but the "a" is not pronounced long. The word's pronunciation has historical roots. 
• Done: The "e" does not make the "o" long. Its pronunciation has diverged from the silent E rule. 

There isn't a universal rule that applies to all of these exceptions to the Silent-E rule. These exceptions occur in specific words due to the general irregularities of English spelling and pronunciation. English has borrowed words from many languages, and over time, some words have developed unique pronunciations that don't always follow standard phonetic rules. As a result, exceptions to the silent E rule must often be memorized on a case-by-case basis. 

As stated before, there are more Silent-E rules, including, “Add an e to keep singular words that end in -s from looking plural, as in mouse or purse.” Still, teaching the five most common rules for Silent Final-E is a simple and helpful boost you can give a student struggling with reading and writing.