Short I and Long E Sounds: 4 Engaging Activities for Adult ESL Pronunciation

Short I and Long E sounds require clear pronunciation for effective communication and building confidence in adult ESL speakers. Conquering these sounds may present challenges, but none of us want our students to confuse “beach” with “bitch,” right? 

The thing is, drilling is effective but boring.  So how about some activities for Short I and Long E sounds that make learning these sounds enjoyable?  Wouldn’t you like to say goodbye to mundane drills and hello to interactive games and storytelling sessions?

Ready?  Let’s get started!

Short I and Long E Sounds: A Closer Look for Understanding

But first, let’s make sure we are clear about how to pronounce the Short I and Long E sounds clearly.  These two sounds are distinct and can significantly impact the meaning of words. (Remember beach and bitch.)  Let’s take a moment to examine these sounds and explore effective ways to help your students grasp their nuances.  You probably already pronounce them clearly, but can you EXPLAIN them to your students?  The following will help:

Short I Sound: 

The short ‘i’ sound is a short, crisp vowel sound found in words like “sit,” “bit,” and “hit.” Pronounce it with a relaxed tongue and a quick, clipped sound. One way to help students identify this sound is by encouraging them to keep their tongues low in their mouths while pronouncing the sound. 

• sit: /sɪt/
• bit: /bɪt/
• hit: /hɪt/

Long E Sound: 

The long ‘e’ sound is a long, sustained vowel sound found in words like seat, beat, and heat. It is produced by lifting the tongue ever so slightly higher in the mouth and stretching the sound. To help students recognize this sound, guide them to form a smiling shape with their lips while pronouncing it. 

• seat: /sit/
• beat: /bit/
• heat: /hit/

If you aren’t already familiar with the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), you are probably looking at /sit/ with some confusion.  This is why I only use IPA while teaching these sounds IF my students are already familiar with it.  IPA is extremely useful when teaching pronunciation, but as you can see, it can also sometimes be a bit confusing, especially when working with minimal pairs.

Pronunciation Tips for ESL Teachers

As you introduce these sounds to your adult ESL students, remember to be patient and encouraging. Some students might find it challenging to differentiate between the Short ‘I’ and Long ‘E’ sounds, especially if their native language lacks such distinctions. Here are some helpful tips to facilitate their learning process:

• Minimal Pair Practice: Presenting pairs of words that differ only in the Short ‘I’ and Long ‘E’ sounds (e.g., “bit” vs. “beat”) can help students recognize the subtle differences.
• Visual Aids: Utilizing visual aids, such as phonetic charts or mouth diagrams, can help students visualize the tongue and lip positions for each sound.
• Repetition and Practice: Encouraging regular practice and repetition will reinforce the sounds and gradually improve pronunciation.
• Contrastive Drills: Incorporating contrastive drills in your lessons will allow students to practice distinguishing between the Short I and Long E sounds in context.  Remember, if they struggle to create these sounds, they might also have difficulty hearing them.  Auditory discrimination practice is an important part of contrastive drills.

By understanding the mechanics of these sounds and applying effective teaching techniques, you can confidently guide your adult ESL students toward mastering the Short I and Long E sounds.  All right, now that you have a solid grasp of the sounds and a few teaching strategies, let’s move on to the exciting part – engaging activities that will make learning enjoyable and memorable for your students!

Short I and Long E Sounds Activity #1 – The Showdown 

In this fun and competitive activity, you’ll create an engaging environment where your adult ESL students can distinguish between the Short I and Long E sounds with enthusiasm.

Purpose: The goal of this activity is to reinforce the differentiation between the Short I and Long E sounds by engaging students in a friendly competition.

Materials needed:  Flashcards with words containing Short I and Long E sounds (e.g., “ship,” “seat,” “fish,” “feet,” etc.)

Instructions:

1. Divide the students into small teams.
2. Display or distribute the flashcards evenly among the teams.
3. The first team selects a flashcard, and one student from the team pronounces the word aloud with the correct Short ‘I’ or Long ‘E’ sound.
4. If the student correctly identifies the sound, their team earns a point.
5. Encourage discussion among team members before making a final decision to enhance teamwork.
6. Continue with each team taking turns until all the flashcards have been used.
7. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins.

This interactive activity hones students’ pronunciation skills and encourages healthy competition and teamwork, making the learning experience enjoyable and memorable.

Short I and Long E Sounds Activity #2 – Vowel Sounds Charades 

In this activity, you’ll infuse excitement into the classroom by incorporating Short I and Long E sounds into a classic charades game.

Purpose: The objective of this activity is to encourage students to practice pronouncing Short I and Long E sounds while acting out words or phrases.

Materials needed:  Picture cards or written phrases with words containing Short I and Long E sounds.

Instructions:

• Prepare picture cards or written phrases with minimal pair words that have the target sounds.
• Divide the class into two teams.
• One student from each team takes turns picking a card without showing it to anyone.
• The selected students must act out or describe the word’s meaning.
• The rest of the team members try to guess the word, using the correct pronunciation of the short i or long e.
• If the team correctly guesses the word, they earn a point.  If they say the word with the wrong sound first, they cannot earn a point, and their turn is over.
• Continue with each team taking turns until all students have had a chance to act or guess or until the allotted time for this activity has run out.
• The team with the most points at the end wins the game.

This lively activity not only reinforces pronunciation but also encourages creativity, quick thinking, and teamwork among students, making pronunciation practice even more enjoyable.

Short I and Long E Sounds Activity #3 – Word Blend Challenge

This activity challenges your students to blend Short I and Long E sounds seamlessly in multisyllabic words.

Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to practice the integration of Short I and Long E sounds in longer words, helping students build fluency.

Materials needed:  a list of multisyllabic words that contain both Short I and Long E sounds.

Instructions:

1. Introduce the concept of word blending using examples of words that combine the Short I and Long E sounds.
2. Provide students with a list of multisyllabic words.  For example, divided, decided, repeated, increase, mislead, treated, and proceeded.
3. Each student takes turns pronouncing a word from the list while correctly blending the Short I and Long E sounds.
4. Encourage individual practice, providing guidance and support as needed.
5. Celebrate students’ progress and improvement in blending the sounds smoothly.

Short I and Long E Sounds Activity #4 – Storytime Fun

Storytelling is a powerful tool for language learning, and in this activity, you’ll use it to integrate Short I and Long E sounds into a narrative.

Purpose: This activity aims to immerse students in a storytelling context where they encounter words containing the Short I and Long E sounds. It allows them to practice pronunciation in a meaningful and engaging way.

Materials needed:  A short story or narrative with various examples of words containing Short I and Long E sounds. Alternatively, you could create your own story.

Instructions:

• Begin by introducing the Short I and Long E sounds to your students, providing some examples and explaining their distinct characteristics.
• Share the selected short story or narrative, emphasizing the correct pronunciation of words containing the target sounds.
• Encourage students to listen actively and identify words with Short I and Long E sounds as you read the story aloud.  They could point to the words SHORT I or LONG E on a piece of paper in front of them as a private way to stay accountable, or they could hold up cards indicating which sound they heard as they hear it.
• After reading, divide the class into small groups and assign each group a section of the story.
• Ask each group to retell their assigned section, pronouncing the Short I and Long E sounds accurately.
• Offer positive feedback and constructive suggestions to help students improve their pronunciation and storytelling skills.

This activity provides an opportunity to practice the target sounds and allows students to enhance their listening and comprehension abilities. Additionally, it encourages creativity and boosts students’ confidence in practicing the Short I and Long E sounds in a meaningful context.

EXTENSION: You can further extend this activity by encouraging students to create their own stories using words with the Short I and Long E sounds. This personalized approach ensures that students are actively engaged in the learning process and gives them a sense of ownership over their language development.

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Mastering the Short I and Long E sounds is essential for adult ESL students. Engaging activities play a key role in language learning, making the process enjoyable and effective, so try implementing one or more of these activities. 

Must-Have Resources:

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More on Pronunciation for Adult ESL

• The Intense Power of Minimal Pairs in Teaching Pronunciation to Adult ESL Students
• 4 Easy Long Vowel Activities for Adult ESL: Spelling Patterns & Pronunciation
• The 5 Best TH-Pronunciation Activities for Adult ESL