4. Sound [ei] ]

Spelling examples: age, lake, nation, wait, play, they, eight.

Letter A in the open syllable

The sound [ei] is represented by the letter A in the open syllable in the root: Kate, ate, late, take, race, name, save, ache, table, cradle, change, strange, paste, waste.

The sound [ei] is represented by the letter A in the open syllable in the suffix: decorate, educate, create, celebrate, concentrate, dictate, investigate, originate.

Letter A in the closed syllable

In a number of cases, the letter A has the sound [ei] in the closed syllable or in the syllable that is not easily recognizable as an open syllable (hidden [ei]): bacon, baby, lazy, angel, danger, stranger, April, paper, basin, basis, Asia, pastry, nation, patriot, fatal, naval, facial, racial, vacant, ancient, patient, radio.

Combinations AI, EI

The sound [ei] is represented by the combination AI before a consonant in the root: aim, aid, sail, tail, main, rain, raise, faint, paint, saint, strait, straight, remain, complain, disdain, explain, restrain.

The sound [ei] is represented by the combination EI before a consonant in the root: rein, veil, vein, feign, reign, deign, sleigh, weigh, weight, eight, freight, neighbor.

Combinations AI, EY

The sound [ei] is represented by the combination AY at the end of the word: day, gray, may, say, way, hay, play, pray, stay, stray, essay, relay, delay.

Звук [ei] передается буквосочетанием AY в конце слова: day, gray, may, say, way, hay, play, pray, stay, stray, essay, relay, delay.

The sound [ei] is represented by the combination EY at the end of the word: they, prey, hey, whey, survey, obey, convey.

Note that the combinations EI, EY, which usually have the sound [ei] in English words, in some words of foreign origin are pronounced as [ai]: Einstein, Fahrenheit, geyser, Meyer.

Combination EA

In just a few words, the sound [ei] is represented by the combination EA: break, great, steak.

Words of French origin

In the words of French origin, the final sound [ei] may be represented in writing by the letters E, EE, ET, for example: cafe, attache, pate, resume, fiance, fiancee, divorcee, matinee; ballet, beret, buffet, bouquet, filet, gourmet.

There are also a few words that end in EE that has the sound [i:], for example: trainee, refugee, employee; and a number of English words ending in ET ([it]), for example: bullet, wallet, skillet, packet, picket, rocket. It's a good idea to organize them all in columns for comparison.

5. Sound [æ] as in cat

Spelling examples: bad, sat, bank, stand, family, accident, apple.

Letter A in the closed syllable

In American English, the letter A under stress in the closed syllable is usually pronounced [æ]: ask, task, fast, last, contrast, master, disaster, castle, answer, act, pack, actor, factory, add, mad, staff, after, class, glass, grass, jazz, chance, dance, land, handle, command, talent, example, happy, happen, travel, fashion, bath, matter, Manhattan.

In British English, the letter A in some of these words is pronounced [a:]: class, dance, answer, master, castle, fast, disaster, etc.

Pay attention, that the sound [ei] represented by the letter A, may change to [æ] in some derivatives, for example: Nature [ei] - natural [æ]; nation [ei] - national [æ]; sane [ei] - sanity [æ], vain - vanity.

Rare spelling for [æ] (AmE): aunt, laugh.