LISTEN

/ey/…/ey/…/ey/…/ey/
​
​take…name…later…away

WHAT IS IT?

Pronunciation:
​The sound /ey/ is a mid, front, tense vowel.​

• Put your tongue in the middle of your mouth.
• Spread your lips, like a small smile. Your tongue should move forward.
• Tighten your tongue.
• Breathe out and let your vocal cords vibrate.

This vowel is usually stressed, as in these words:

• famous
• lately
• create

However, /ey/ can also be unstressed. In an unstressed syllable, /ey/ is pronounced quickly and softly. This is most common in the last syllable of a word.

• Sunday
• dictate
• graduate

Spelling:

• “a…(e)” – came, late
• “ai” – train, wait
• “a” – age, April
• “ay” – day, maybe
• “ey” – they, obey
• “ea” – great, break
• “ei” – rein, veil
• “eigh”/”aigh” – neighbor, weigh, straight
• “et” (French origin) – crochet, ballet

Grammar Tip:
​The sound /ey/ is part of the common suffix “-ate,” when “-ate” is part of a verb. If the verb is more than 2 syllables, the /ey/ in the suffix is unstressed.

• ​​create
• indicate
• complicate
• communicate

COMPARE

Compare /ey/ with /iy/:

/ey/…/iy/…/ey/…/iy/…/ey/…/iy/

These are both front, tense vowels. However, /ey/ is a mid vowel and /iy/ is a high vowel.

You can hear the difference between /ey/ and /iy/ in these words.

1. A. play, B. plea
2. A. lake, B. leak
3. A. raid, B. read
4. A. same, B. seem
5. A. fail, B. feel
6. A. raisin, B. reason

Practice recognizing words with /ey/ and /iy/ by taking the quiz here (external site). ​

Now, compare /ey/ with /ɛ/:

/ey/…/ɛ/… /ey/…/ɛ/… /ey/…/ɛ/

These are both mid, front vowels. However, /ey/ is a tense vowel, and /ɛ/ is a lax vowel. Your tongue should tighten when you pronounce /ey/, but not when you pronounce /ɛ/.​
​

You can hear the difference between /ey/ and /ɛ/ in these words.

1. A. mate, B. met
2. A. braid, B. bread
3. A. lace, B. less
4. A. later, B. letter
5. A. sailor, B. seller
6. A. pain, B. pen

Practice recognizing words with /ey/ and /ɛ/ by taking the quiz here (external site). 

PRACTICE

Listen and repeat these words:

Now, practice /ey/ in sentences. Say the words first, then the sentences.

1. making – cake – birthday 
I’m making a cake for your birthday.
2. afraid – wake – snake
I’m afraid to wake up a sleeping snake.
3. raining – today – hail
It’s raining today, with a chance of hail.
4. mayor – gave – waste
The mayor gave a speech about waste management. 
5. makes – great – relationship
What makes a great relationship?
6. rainy – days – play – games
​On rainy days, my family likes to play games.

To practice with different varieties of English, choose another native English speaker by clicking one of the links below:

Male – US Midwest (St. Louis)

Male – US Midwest (Iowa)

Male – US Midwest

Female – US Northeast

Female – US Southeast

​Prepare:
What do you want to be famous for? Look at the list and choose one thing that you want to be famous for, and one thing you don’t want to be famous for.

• ​Creating a great work of art​
• Saving someone from danger
• Dating a celebrity
• Breaking a sports record
• Making a great movie
• ​Motivating someone to pursue their dream
• Persuading a world leader to change their policy​
• Being an excellent communicator​
• Performing in a Broadway musical

Record:
​In your recording, describe what you want to be famous for and what you don’t want to be famous for. Explain the reasons for your answer.

©2024, Christine Wingate

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