English Vowel Sounds

Some Generalizations (Not Rules) about English vowels and spelling

English vowels have "long" and "short" forms.

The long form is the "name" of the letter: The short form is as follows:

Long vowels are usually (but not always) indicated by a second (silent) vowel in the same syllable:

Short vowels usually stand alone within a syllable and are often followed by "double" consonants:

Note the difference:

tiny/tinny

Notable exceptions: