long i /ī/

Long i is the /ī/ sound like in ‘kite’, or when the vowel says its name.

1. /ī/ can be spelled ‘igh’
   2. /ī/ can be spelled ‘y’ at then end of a 1 syllable word, like ‘spy’
   3. when the silent e uses its magic, like in ‘kite’ (see magic e lesson in long vowels, part 2, lesson 9)
   4. /ī/ can be spelled ‘ie’, like in ‘pie’

igh light

This is the long i sound /ī/

‘igh’ is a trigraph - that's right, 3 letters that together only say one sound.

‘igh’ is usually in the middle or the end of a word.

y spy

/ī/ is spelled with a ‘y’ at the end of a one syllable word
(see special lessons to learn about syllables
and to learn all about y)

So remember, so far you know:
y says /y/ at the start of a word, like ‘yes’. (y is a consonant)
y says /ē/ at the end of a two syllable word, like ‘bunny’. (y is a vowel)
And now, y can say /ī/ at the end of a little word, like ‘spy’. (y is a vowel)
That y is crazy!.

Cut and paste the sounds of y: