Play the audio and write down what you heard!
Let’s try the /ɛ/ sound first! (get, let, pen, test)
Now, let’s try the /eɪ/ sound! (gate, late, pain, taste)
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.
/eɪ/
- Jake made a cake.
- Lay the tray on the table.
- The rain came late.
- Dave gave the plate away.
- Play the game with Kay.
- Stay and wait by the gate.
- The snake ate the bait.
- Jane stayed awake.
- The plane flew away.
- Ray paid for the grapes.
Identify the different sounds and read the poem. Start slow and then get faster. Check the audio after!
In a bright little glade, not far from the bay,
(In a bright little gleɪd, not far from the beɪ,)
Lived a clever fox named Ray.
(Lived a clɛver fox named Reɪ.)
He loved to play games in the evening light,
(He loved to pleɪ geɪmes in the evening light,)
With friends by his side, from morning till night.
(With frɛnds by his side, from morning till night.)
One day, as Ray sat by a hedge,
(One deɪy, as Reɪ sat by a hɛdge,)
He met a squirrel named Fay by the edge.
(He mɛt a squirrel neɪmed Feɪ by the ɛdge.)
“Let’s gather some acorns and nuts for a feast,
(“Lɛt’s gather some acorns and nuts for a feast,)
And share them with friends from west to east.”
(And share thɛm with frɛnds from west to east.”)
They set off together, down the forest trail,
(They sɛt off togɛther, down the forest treɪl,)
Through meadows and woods, in the soft spring gale.
(Through mɛdows and woods, in the soft spring geɪle.)
Ray found a gem, shiny and bright,
(Reɪ found a gɛm, shiny and bright,)
Fay saw it gleam in the sunlight.
(Feɪ saw it gleam in the sunlight.)
“That gem is rare!” exclaimed little Fay,
(“That gɛm is reɪre!” excleɪmed little Feɪy,)
“It will light up our den in a special way.”
(“It will light up our dɛn in a special weɪ)
“But beware of the thorns,” Ray wisely said,
(But beware of the thorns,” Reɪ wisely said,)
“They can scratch you up from tail to head.”
(“Thɛy can scratch you up from teɪl to hɛd.”)
They carefully picked the nuts and the gem,
(Thɛy carefully picked the nuts and the gɛm)
And headed back home, singing a hymn.
(And hɛded back home, singing a hymn.)
As the sun started setting, they reached their den,
(As the sun started sɛtting, thɛy reached their dɛn,)
With stories to share, again and again.
(With stories to share, ageɪn and ageɪn.)
They sat by the fire, the gem casting light,
(Thɛy sat by the fire, the gɛm casting light,)
And talked about their adventurous flight.
(And talked about their advɛnturous flight.)
Ray told tales of rivers and lakes,
(Reɪ told teɪles of rivers and leɪkes,)
While Fay shared dreams of delicious cakes.
(While Feɪ shared dreams of delicious ceɪkes.)
“Tomorrow,” said Ray, “we’ll explore once more,
(“Tomorrow,” said Reɪ, “we’ll explore once more,)
There are so many treasures, adventures galore.”
(There are so many treasures, advɛntures galore.”)
Fay nodded happily, with a twinkle in her eye,
(Feɪ nodded happily, with a twinkle in her eye,)
“With you, Ray, the fun will never die.”
(“With you, Reɪ, the fun will nɛver die.”)
So if you visit the forest, near the bay,
(So if you visit the forest, near the beɪ,)
Remember the tale of Ray and Fay.
(Remɛmber the teɪle of Reɪ and Feɪ.)
With laughter and joy, their friendship was true,
(With laughter and joy, their frɛndship was true,)
In a world full of wonder, for me and you.
(In a world full of wonder, for me and you.)
In a bright little glade, not far from the bay,
(In a bright little gleɪd, not far from the beɪ,)
Lived a clever fox named Ray.
(Lived a clɛver fox named Reɪ.)
He loved to play games in the evening light,
(He loved to pleɪ geɪmes in the evening light,)
With friends by his side, from morning till night.
(With friends by his side, from morning till night.)
10 Most Common /ɛ/ words:
Read the dialogue to practice these common words!
10 Most Common /eɪ/ words:
Read the dialogue to practice these common words!
Exercise 8: Practice with your teacher!
- Choose a mixture of either the /ɛ/ or the /eɪ/ 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 – bait
pen – pain
men – main
net – Nate
red – raid
led – laid
den – Dane
fed – fade
met – mate
wet – wait
let – late
best – baste
get – gate
ken – cane
test – taste
lend – lane
hell – hail
tell – tail
sell – sail
fell – fail
pest – paste
fret – freight
shell – shale
shed – shade
bet – bate
gel – jail
med – maid
led – laid
wed – wade
