Play the audio and write down what you heard!
Let’s try the /ɛ/ sound first! (head, red, left, let)
Now, let’s try the /iː/ sound! (hid, rid, lift, lid)
Try some of these drills:
/ɛ/
- Ben met Ed.
- Get the red pen.
- Let Ted check the deck.
- Nell fell in the well.
- Can Ken mend the fence?
- Jen left her bed.
- Wes sent the text.
- The vet kept the pet.
- Set the net over there.
- Fred fed the hen.
/ɪ/
- It didn’t fit. Did he sit on it?
- Did Tim win it?
- Is it still in the bin?
- He hid in his crib.
- Pick it up, quick!
- She slid into the pit.
- Can Jim fix it?
- The lid is missing.
- Rick hit his shin.
- Sit still in the gym.
Identify the different sounds and read the poem. Start slow and then get faster. Check the audio to check!
In a small, quiet village, there lived a clever hen,
(ɪn a small, quiet vɪllage, there lɪved a clɛver hɛn,)
She liked to peck seeds in the garden now and then.
(She liked to pɛck seeds ɪn the garden now and thɛn.)
One day she met a kitten, with fur soft and grey,
(One day she mɛt a kɪtten, wɪth fur soft and grɛy,)
They played in the meadow throughout the bright day.
(Thɛy played ɪn the mɛdow throughout the bright day.)
The kitten said, “Hen, let’s sit by the shed,
(The kɪtten said, “Hɛn, lɛt’s sɪt by the shɛd,)
We’ll tell tales of the river, then rest on the bed
(We’ll tɛll tales of the rɪver, thɛn rɛst on the bɛd.”)
The hen clucked with joy, “That sounds simply divine,
(The hɛn clucked wɪth joy, “That sounds sɪmply divine,)
We’ll share stories and laugh as the day does decline.”
(We’ll share stories and laugh as the day does decline.”)
They sat by the fence, where the flowers did bloom,
(They sat by the fɛnce, where the flowers dɪd bloom,)
The hen spoke of eggs and her cozy, warm room.
(The hɛn spoke of ɛggs and her cozy, warm room.)
“One day I was pecking and found a small gem,
(“One day I was pɛcking and found a small gɛm,)
It glistened and gleamed like a bright diadem.”
(ɪt glɪstened and gleamed like a bright diadɛm.”)
The kitten purred softly, “Oh hen, what a find!
(The kɪtten purred softly, “Oh hɛn, what a find!)
A gem in the garden, of the rarest kind.
(A gɛm ɪn the garden, of the rarɛst kind.)
But beware of the nettles that sting like a pin,
(But beware of the nɛttles that stɪng like a pɪn,)
They can hurt quite a bit and cause quite a din.”
(They can hurt quite a bɪt and cause quite a dɪn.”)
The hen nodded wisely, with a peck on the ground,
(The hɛn nodded wisely, wɪth a pɛck on the ground,)
“Thanks for the warning, I’ll watch where I bound.
(“Thanks for the warning, I’ll watch where I bound.)
Let’s meet by the river when the sun starts to set,
(Lɛt’s meet by the rɪver when the sun starts to sɛt,)
And we’ll chat and relax, it’s a date we won’t forget.”
(And we’ll chat and relax, ɪt’s a date we won’t forgɛt.”)
Thɛy said their goodbyes with a nuzzle and cheer,
(Thɛy said their goodbyes wɪth a nuzzle and cheer,)
The hen clucked away, her heart light and clear.
(The hɛn clucked away, her heart light and clear.)
In the blink of an eye, she was back in her coop,
(ɪn the blɪnk of an eye, she was back ɪn her coop,)
Dreaming of kittens and their playful troupe.
(Dreaming of kɪttens and their playful troupe.)
So if you meet a hen who likes gems and a friend,
(So ɪf you meet a hɛn who likes gɛms and a frɛnd,)
Remember this tale from beginning to end.
(Remɛmber thɪs tale from begɪnning to ɛnd.)
With words full of sounds, their friendship did blend,
(Wɪth words full of sounds, their frɛndship dɪd blɛnd,)
In a world of delight that we all comprehend.
(ɪn a world of delight that we all comprɛhend.)
In a small, quiet village, there lived a clever hen,
(In a small, quiet vɪllage, there lɪved a clɛver hɛn,)
She liked to peck seeds in the garden now and then.
(She liked to pɛck seeds ɪn the garden now and thɛn.)
One day she met a kitten, with fur soft and grey,
(One day she mɛt a kɪtten, with fur soft and grɛy,)
They played in the meadow throughout the bright day.
(Thɛy played ɪn the mɛdow throughout the bright day.)
10 Most Common /ɛ/ words:
Read the dialogue to practice these common words!
10 Most Common /ɪ/ words:
Read the dialogue to practice these common words!
Exercise 8: Practice with your teacher!
- Choose a mixture of either the /ɛ/ or the /ɪ/ sound. (Make sure it’s random!)
- Next, sound out the words to your teacher.
- After saying all 4 words, your teacher will reveal what sound they heard/what word they thought you said!
- Count how many your teacher guessed correctly out of 4!
- After that, swap roles, and you write down which words you hear from your teacher!
Minimal Pairs
bet – bit
pen – pin
set – sit
bed – bid
net – nit
red – rid
led – lid
pet – pit
den – din
fed – fit
met – mit
wet – wit
let – lit
sell – sill
tell – till
fell – fill
ten – tin
bell – bill
gel – jill
del – dill
med – mid
ben – bin
let – lit
get – git
