Easy English: How to pronounce the long vowel sound in words ending with ‘e’

I'm Gill at engVid, and today we have a lesson on some pronunciation where you have words,

if you add an "e", it changes the length of the vowel sound. So, for example, we've got

the word "bit" with a short "i" sound, but then if you add an "e" on the end, of course

it changes the meaning, but it also makes the pronunciation different by lengthening

the vowel sound. So, we get "bite", so "bit" and "bite", short and "long". So, with each

one of these, that's what happens. The short vowel sound in the left-hand column becomes

a longer vowel sound in the right-hand column. Okay? And maybe also this will give you some

new vocabulary. If there are any words you may not have come across before, this will

help you to add to your vocabulary. Okay, so let's have a look, then. So, we have "bit"

and "bite", and then "a bit" means a little bit, or it's the past tense of the verb "to

bite". So, "I bite", "Yesterday I bit", so it can be part of the same verb, but it can

also mean... This can also be a noun meaning a little bit. Okay. Right. And then we have

"fat" and "fate", so "a" in "fat", "a" in "fate", so short and long. Right. Then we have "gap"

and "gape", "a", "a", "gap", "gape". So, a "gap" is a little space somewhere. And then

to "gape", it's a verb when you're sort of staring, maybe with your mouth open like...

Like that, in surprise, to "gape". Okay. So, "gap" and "gape". Then we have "hop" and "hope",

so this happens with different... We've already had now "i", "a", and now we have "o", so it

can happen with those different vowels, letters. Okay. So, "hop" and "hope". So, if you "hop",

you're on one foot and you're... I won't do it, but you're jumping up and down on one

leg. To "hop" and then "hope" is a different meaning. Okay. Then we have "not", "note",

"o", "o", "not" and "note". Right. Then "plan", "plane", "a", "a", "plan", "plane". So, "plane"

is short for "aeroplane". Okay. "Quit", "quite". So, "i", "i", "quit", "quite". So, if you "quit",

you stop. You may be... You may be in a job and you don't like the job, so you decide

to quit, to resign. So, it's... It's usually quite an informal word. "I quit." Okay. "Quit",

or anything you want to stop doing. "I'm going to quit now." Something like that. Okay. "Quit"

and then "quite". So, if something is quite interesting, it's fairly interesting, that's

"quite". Okay. And then we have "rip", "ripe", "i", "i", "rip" and "ripe". So, "rip" is if

you tear a piece of paper, you're ripping the paper or a piece of material. "Rip", like

that. And "ripe" is maybe with a piece of fruit, if it's just perfectly ready to eat

and juicy, like a... Well, let me think what would be nice. A peach, perhaps, when it's

just the right sort of texture to eat. It's not too hard. It's a little bit soft, but

not too soft. So, that's "ripe", ready for eating. Okay. Then we have "sit" and "sight".

"I", "i", "sit" and "sight". Okay. And "strip" and "stripe". So, a strip of something is

a long, narrow piece, like a ribbon, something like that, or a strip of paper, a thin, narrow

piece of paper that you tear. Or "to strip" as a verb means usually to take off your clothes,

to strip. Okay. In a rather informal word. Okay. And then a "stripe" is a line. "Stripe",

"stripes", a pattern of lines is a stripe. So, "strip" and "stripe". And then we have

"tap", "tape". So, again, different meaning. A "tap", that's to tap, the verb "to tap",

like that. Or a "tap" is when you need some water, you turn on the tap and water comes

out in the sink, or the washbasin is also a tap. But "tape", "tape" is either a piece...

A recording tape that you record onto, the old-fashioned recording technology. Or a "tape"

can be, again, a strip, a strip of material that... In a thin strip could be a tape. Right.

And then we have finally "trip" and "tripe". So, "trip", "i", and "tripe", "i". So, "trip"

is like a journey, or you can trip if you nearly fall over, you trip. And "tripe", it's

a kind of food that comes from the lungs of an animal. I don't know if people still eat

that. I'm sure some people do. "Tripe". Or it can be a kind of a metaphor meaning rubbish

or nonsense. That's a load of tripe, people say. A load of old tripe, meaning a lot of

rubbish. So, okay. So, I'll just go once more through these just quickly for you to hear

each one in a sort of natural, at a normal speed. Okay? So, "bit", "bite", "fat", "fate",

"tripe", "hop", "hope", "not", "note", "plan", "plane", "quit", "quite", "rip", "ripe", "sit",

"sight", "strip", "stripe", "tap", "tape", "trip", "tripe". Okay, so that's it for today.

I hope that's been useful for pronunciation and for vocabulary and for a bit of metaphor

as well. So, thank you for watching, and hope to see you again soon. Bye for now.