Home/Silent E/I_E Split Digraph (/aɪ/)

I_E Split Digraph Words and Practice

In words like bike, kite, and time, the vowel letter i pairs across a single consonant with silent final e to represent the long i diphthong (/aɪ/).

Print Word List (3 Words) →Short vs. Silent E Sort →

Canonical I-E Decodable Words

Notice that in Elkonin sound boxes, i_e occupies a single sound box representing /aɪ/, giving 4-letter words exactly 3 sound boxes.

bike3 sounds

b/b/

i_e/aɪ/

k/k/

Onset: bRime: ike

kite3 sounds

k/k/

i_e/aɪ/

t/t/

Onset: kRime: ite

time3 sounds

t/t/

i_e/aɪ/

m/m/

Onset: tRime: ime

Printable Practice

Practice Contrasting Short Vowels vs. Silent E

Reinforce split-digraph decoding with our comparative 2-column sort worksheet. Students read 12 decodable words and sort them under Short Vowel or Silent E.

Open Word Sort Worksheet →