Short and Long E Worksheets - 15 Worksheets Library - Free Printable

Let's solve this worksheet step by step.

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Worksheet Title: *Long and Short E*

Directions: Say each word quietly to yourself. Do you hear a long e or a short e sound? Cut and paste each word into the correct box.

We are given a list of words:

- teen
- bet
- beet
- leaf
- pet
- meal
- tent
- weak
- free
- net
- let
- setter

We need to sort these words into two categories:
- Long E – when the "e" sounds like the letter name “E” (like in “me” or “see”)
- Short E – when the "e" sounds like the “e” in “bed” or “pen”

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Step 1: Understand the Sounds

- Long E sound: /iː/ — as in "see", "be", "me"
- Short E sound: /ɛ/ — as in "bed", "pet", "let"

Note: Some words may have silent letters or other patterns, but we focus on the pronunciation of the 'e'.

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Step 2: Analyze Each Word

1. teen → pronounced /tiːn/ → long e
2. bet → pronounced /bɛt/ → short e
3. beet → pronounced /biːt/ → long e
4. leaf → pronounced /liːf/ → long e
5. pet → pronounced /pɛt/ → short e
6. meal → pronounced /miːl/ → long e
7. tent → pronounced /tɛnt/ → short e
8. weak → pronounced /wiːk/ → long e
9. free → pronounced /friː/ → long e
10. net → pronounced /nɛt/ → short e
11. let → pronounced /lɛt/ → short e
12. setter → pronounced /ˈsetər/ → short e (the first "e" is short)

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Step 3: Sort the Words

#### ✔ Long E
- teen
- beet
- leaf
- meal
- weak
- free

#### ✔ Short E
- bet
- pet
- tent
- net
- let
- setter

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Final Answer:

| Long E | Short E |
|----------------|------------------|
| teen | bet |
| beet | pet |
| leaf | tent |
| meal | net |
| weak | let |
| free | setter |

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✔ Summary:

This activity helps students distinguish between long and short vowel sounds, especially focusing on the letter E. The key is listening to the pronunciation and identifying whether the e makes a long (/iː/) or short (/ɛ/) sound.

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