The split digraph (magic e)
Year group: 1
Source: DfE, English Appendix 1: Spelling, National Curriculum for England (2013) — Year 1
Curriculum requirement: Statutory
Purpose: Year 1 guide to the split digraph (magic e) — how a-e, i-e, o-e, u-e change the vowel sound, with worked examples and practice activities.
The rule
When a word has the pattern vowel – consonant – e at the end, the final e is silent — but it changes the vowel sound before the consonant from short to long (the vowel "says its name").
cap (short /æ/) → cape (long /eɪ/) — the e makes the a say "ay"
pin (short /ɪ/) → pine (long /aɪ/) — the e makes the i say "eye"
hop (short /ɒ/) → hope (long /oʊ/) — the e makes the o say "oh"
cub (short /ʌ/) → cube (long /juː/) — the e makes the u say "you"
pet (short /ɛ/) → Pete (long /iː/) — the e makes the e say "ee"
The e is called a split digraph because it works with the vowel before the consonant, even though they are "split" by the consonant between them.
The five split digraph patterns
a-e (makes /eɪ/ — "ay")
| Short vowel | Split digraph |
|---|---|
| cap | cape |
| mat | mate |
| hat | hate |
| tap | tape |
| mad | made |
| plan | plane |
| can | cane |
| man | mane |
| fat | fate |
| rat | rate |
| sam | same |
| gap | gape |
i-e (makes /aɪ/ — "eye")
| Short vowel | Split digraph |
|---|---|
| pin | pine |
| bit | bite |
| kit | kite |
| Tim | time |
| rid | ride |
| hid | hide |
| rip | ripe |
| fin | fine |
| dim | dime |
| win | wine |
| strip | stripe |
| grip | gripe |
o-e (makes /oʊ/ — "oh")
| Short vowel | Split digraph |
|---|---|
| hop | hope |
| mop | mope |
| not | note |
| rod | rode |
| cod | code |
| glob | globe |
| con | cone |
| ton | tone |
| wok | woke |
| pol | pole |
| hol | hole |
u-e (makes /juː/ — "you" or /uː/ — "oo")
| Short vowel | Split digraph |
|---|---|
| cub | cube |
| tun | tune |
| dun | dune |
| hug | huge |
| cut | cute |
| rut | rude |
| jul | rule |
| mus | muse |
e-e (makes /iː/ — "ee") — less common
| Short | Split digraph |
|---|---|
| (pet name) | Pete |
| (them) | theme |
| (com-) | compete |
| (ext-) | extreme |
| (com-) | complete |
Why does the split digraph work?
In Old English and Middle English, the final e was actually pronounced — it was a separate syllable. Name was pronounced "NAH-meh" (two syllables). As English evolved, the final e stopped being pronounced, but it kept its effect on the preceding vowel. The e is silent in sound but active in function — it reaches back over the consonant to change the vowel.
This is why it's called a split digraph: a digraph is two letters making one sound. Here the two letters (a and e in name) are split by the consonant between them but still work together.
Common mistakes
| Wrong | Right | Issue |
|---|---|---|
| piane | pine | i-e not ia-e |
| hoep | hope | o-e — e goes at the end |
| caep | cape | a-e — e goes at the end |
| cub (when meaning the 3D shape) | cube | u-e split digraph needed |
| mad (when meaning made) | made | a-e split digraph |
| hid (when meaning hide) | hide | i-e split digraph |
Word sort
Add the magic e and write the new word. What does the new word mean?
| Short word | + magic e | New word meaning |
|---|---|---|
| cap | cape | a cloak / a headland |
| kit | kite | a flying toy |
| hop | hope | to wish for |
| cub | cube | a 3D square shape |
| mad | made | past tense of make |
| bit | bite | to use teeth |
| not | note | a written message / a musical sound |
| fin | fine | well; a money penalty |
| rid | ride | to travel on |
| hat | hate | to strongly dislike |
Dictation sentences
- She flew her kite from the cape in the bright summer sunshine.
- He had a huge piece of cake and made a wish as he ate.
- The pine tree cast a wide shadow across the lane.
- Time and tide wait for no one, as the old saying goes.
- She had hope that the note would arrive by nine o'clock.
Source: DfE English Appendix 1: Spelling (2013). The split digraph is a statutory Year 1 spelling pattern. All examples verified against Year 1 statutory content.