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⟨i-e⟩

From Teflpedia

i-e is a split vowel digraph found in English.

In English, this fairly reliably represents the ᴘʀɪᴄᴇ vowel, with some exceptions.

With most letters[edit | edit source]

  • B: tribe
  • D: hide
  • F: knife
  • K; bike
  • L: bile
  • M: time
  • N: pine
  • P: pipe
  • S: monetise
  • T: bite
  • V: hive
  • Z: realize.

With C and G: softening[edit | edit source]

C and G are softened to s sound and soft G sound.

  • spice (compare spic)
  • sage (compare sag)

With R[edit | edit source]

ire represents /aɪə(r)/, as in fire, hire

French style[edit | edit source]

Before gu and qu, this produces a long E sound, e.g. oblique, intrigue. Also, with French-ch, e.g. niche, quiche.

French-style pronunciation can be found in other words, e.g. elite, gite, cuisine, machine, magazine, police, submarine.


With unstressed syllables[edit | edit source]

Unstressed syllables are subject to vowel reduction:

  • with "ice": justice, notice, office, practice, service
  • with "ine": determine, discipline, engine, examine, imagine
  • with "ive": active, adjective, alternative

High frequency word exceptions[edit | edit source]

Vowels: give, live (verb)| (verb)