Lesson 07
Magic e
LEARNING WITH PHONICS - LESSON 7 VIDEO
MONA'S QUICK GUIDE
hat/hate (magic “e”)
This extends the pattern of the words where a vowel says its name. This can be a vowel and e together as in toe or a split digraph, where the oe becomes o-e as in home. It is useful at this point to learn that "e at the end of English words is always silent."
Make a selection of words, give the pupil ruled paper with five columns and ask the pupil to write each word in the correct column:
wine snake globe cube these bone game plate slide tune Peter theme advise remote excuse.
Explain that there can be only one consonant between the vowel and e if the first vowel is long, in “magic e” words. There are exceptions such as: active sensitive literate moderate.
Later/matter Peter/better finer/thinner voter/potter use/mutter
Getting used to a short vowel before a double letter helps in reading and spelling:
tip/tipper/tipping ripe/riper/ripped line/lining/pinning
Try the following:
a: Baker basket hamper faster
e: Peter bender mentor better
i: wiper whisper hinder biter bitter
o: Roper crocus hopper lottery
u: tuner butter busker tulip bullet
In many words a VCV (vowel-consonant-vowel) pattern gives a long vowel for the first, and VCCV makes the first vowel short, but there are so many exceptions that it is simpler to say, “Try the short vowel, and if that does not give you a word, try the long vowel.” (See earlier.)
-ve ( -ave -ive -ove)
Because English words do not end with a v we have to add an e on the end. Sometimes this coincides with magic e as in: save behave drive stove. Other times the e is not magic as in : have love glove give active impressive collective. There are many words like this. I refer to these words as "final e"
Play the games: Bingo, s/ladders, Pairs.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
GAMES AND WORKSHEETS
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Magic e