IPA: /i/ – The "long e"
The IPA symbol /i/ represents the "long e" sound, as heard in words like "see," "me," or "machine." This is a close front unrounded vowel, meaning the tongue is high and forward in the mouth, and the lips are not rounded. It’s a tense vowel, so it takes slightly more effort and time to pronounce than its short counterpart /ɪ/ (as in "bit").
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Tongue Position: Very high and at the front of the mouth.
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Tense Vowel: Longer and more "smiling" sound than /ɪ/.
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Letter Patterns: Often spelled as "ee," "ea," "ie," or "e" at the end of a word/syllable.
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Examples: see, eat, piece, he, these
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Sample Words with the /i/ Sound:-
See
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Tree
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Eat
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Seat
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Green
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Meet
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Sheep
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Cheese
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Machine
Happy (in unstressed syllables, /i/ is often used)
📝 Simple Sentences with /i/:
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I can see the stars at night.
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The tree is tall and green.
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Let’s eat lunch together.
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She found a seat near the window.
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The grass is green after the rain.
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They will meet us at noon.
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The sheep ran across the field.
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I love cheese on my sandwich.
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This machine is broken.
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My dog makes me very happy.
🔁Tongue Twisters with /i/:
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Three free fleas flee from three free bees.
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Green cheese, please, said the greedy geese.
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She sees three trees in the breeze.
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Steve feeds sheep while he sleeps.
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He eats sweet treats in the street.
📖 A Short Story with /i/ Sound:
The Green Tree and the Cheese Thief
One sunny morning, Lee went to sit under a green tree. He brought a basket with bread, fruits, and his favorite cheese.
As he began to eat, he heard a squeak. A small mouse peeked from behind the tree. Lee smiled and said, “Do you want some cheese, little one?”
The mouse ran up and took a piece, then gave a happy little squeal. They both sat there—he on the grass, and the mouse by the basket—sharing the cheese peacefully.
From that day, every time Lee came to the tree, the mouse would meet him for a snack. They became the best of friends, all because of a piece of cheese.
