answersLogoWhite

0

There are a few words where EA has a long A sound instead of a long E. This is mainly due to the respelling of the original words as they were codified in early English. The obvious example is the word "great" (grate) which adopted the spelling of the Old English word "great" meaning coarse, although the adjective was spelled "grete" in Middle English. Other words like this are break and steak.

*The words bear, pear, swear, tear, and wear are not technically long A words, because they include an R, but they have similar histories.

User Avatar

Wiki User

11y ago

What else can I help you with?

Related Questions

Does eat have a short a or long a?

There is no "A" sound. The EA pair has the long E vowel sound as in beat.


Is ea long or short in meant?

The EA has a short E sound in "meant" to rhyme with bent and sent. The EA in the present tense of the verb (mean) has a long sound, to rhyme with bean and seen.


Does please have a long a sound?

No. The EA has a long E sound as in tease.


Does dream have a long a sound?

No. The EA has a long E sound as in beam and team.


Does the word leaf have a long vowel sound?

Yes, the EA pair produces a long E vowel sound, as in sheaf.


Are great and learned examples of long e sounds?

No. The EA in great has a long a sound (grate). The EA in learned has a short E sound.


Does the EA in sweater have a long or short vowel sound?

The EA vowel pair has a short E sound, as in bread and threat.


Does break have a long or short sound?

The word break has a long A sound from the EA pair, pronounced the same as "brake."


Does sneaker have a short e sound?

The word 'sneaker' does not have the short e sound. The combination EA makes the long E sound as in sneak and peek. The EA pair does not always make the long E sound. For example EA in the word 'bread' is a short E sound, and in the word 'break' it has a long A sound.


Does the word hear have a long a sound?

No. The EA has a long E sound, as in clear and rear.


Does the EA in leather have a long or short vowel sound?

The EA has a short E sound. The word rhymes with weather and tether.


Does please have a long e sound?

Yes. The EA has a long E sound as in tease. It has the sound (pleez).