a_e: the vowel in cake
Eight words with the long-a sound.
- cake
- name
- game
- gate
- lake
- cave
- tape
- cape
Free word list, practice and printable cards
CVCe word list and flashcards
Start with 23 four-letter words that use a consonant–vowel–consonant–e spelling. Read the list below, try the same words with audio and available picture cues, or print the collection for practice together.
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CVCe silent-e words: a_e, i_e, o_e and u_e23 words · 4 vowel-spelling groups · 20 picture cues · printable
Practise online
Open the complete set
Tap a card to begin. Choose Print in the activity for paper cards, or make a different collection for more practice.
No account is needed to practise or print. Treat the cards as a short practice activity, not a reading assessment.
What is in the set
23 CVCe words by vowel spelling
In these words, the vowel and final e work together across a consonant: a_e, i_e, o_e or u_e. The final e has no separate sound. Start with one group on paper; the online collection contains all 23 words.
i_e: the vowel in bike
Five words with the long-i sound.
- bike
- kite
- time
- five
- ride
o_e: the vowel in home
Six words with the long-o sound. In nose and rose, s represents the /z/ sound.
- home
- bone
- rope
- hope
- nose
- rose
u_e: the vowel in cute
Four u_e words. Cute, cube and mule have a /yoo/ sound; tube may have /yoo/ or /oo/, depending on your accent.
- cute
- cube
- mule
- tube
Use the cards your way
Online practice and a printable set
Compare a short vowel with silent e
Write tap → tape and cap → cape. Read each word aloud, pointing to the vowel spelling. The added e changes the vowel sound in these pairs; it does not add a separate spoken sound.
Try four more contrasts
Compare hop → hope, cut → cute, cub → cube and tub → tube. Model both words, then invite your child to read them with help. Use your usual pronunciation of tube.
Keep meaning alongside reading
The activity has existing picture cues for 20 words; name, hope and cute have no picture cue. Read the letters first, then use a picture or a short spoken example to check what the word means.
A five-minute routine
Keep practice small and specific
Stop while the reading still feels successful. A few careful turns with five cards are more useful than rushing through the whole pack.
- 1
Model one spelling
Choose a few words from one visible group or print the collection and set the others aside. For tape, point to t, the a_e spelling and p; say the sounds, join them, then say tape. Do not sound the final e separately.
- 2
Read together, then try
Let your child look at each spelling and blend the word. Use the audio as a model or check, rather than asking them to guess from a picture. If they get stuck, model the word and invite another supported attempt.
- 3
Read a fresh word on paper
Set cape aside before practice. After practising tape, write cape without a picture if it has not just been shown and c, a_e and p are familiar. Invite your child to read it, helping as needed, then discuss its meaning. Stop or return to a familiar word if a sound is unknown; one attempt does not establish mastery.
Questions
About this flashcard set
What does CVCe mean?
CVCe describes a consonant–vowel–consonant–e spelling, such as cake or bike. In these examples the vowel has a long sound and the final e is silent. Teachers also call this a split vowel spelling or a silent-e pattern.
Does every word ending in e follow this pattern?
No. Words such as have and give do not use the long-vowel pattern shown here. Teach this as a useful spelling pattern with exceptions, not a rule for every final e.
Does this list include every long vowel?
No. This practice set covers a_e, i_e, o_e and u_e in 23 four-letter curriculum words. It does not include e_e words, longer silent-e words or other long-vowel spellings such as ai and ee.
Can I print the CVCe word cards?
Yes. Choose Print in the activity to print the complete 23-word collection, with or without the available pictures. The visible word list is also available above without starting the activity.
Should we start here if short-vowel words are still difficult?
Begin with familiar consonant sounds and short-vowel blending first. Return to this set when your child can join those sounds with support, and introduce one silent-e spelling at a time.