The “magic e” rule in phonics, also known as the silent ‘e’ or bossy ‘e’, describes how the letter ‘e’ at the end of a word can change the sound of the preceding vowel. When an ‘e’ is at the end of a word with a vowel-consonant-e (VCe) pattern, the ‘e’ is typically silent and makes the first vowel produce a long sound, meaning it “says its name”. How the Rule Works The fundamental principle of the magic ‘e’ is its effect on vowel sounds. It transforms a short vowel sound into a long vowel sound.

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Children first learn that the letter 'e' makes the short 'e' sound as in egg. In the words: we, me, she, be and he, the 'e' makes the long 'eeeee' sound. This can be tricky for children until they have been taught that the letter 'e' can make the short or long 'e' sound. This letter has been coloured red to support the children identify that it is a tricky letter! These words are commonly occurring in children’s stories so getting your child to read these by sight will support their reading flue