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This is mainly due to the respelling of the original words as they were codified in early English. The word "great" (grate) adopted the spelling of the Old English word "great" meaning coarse, although the adjective for big was spelled "grete" in Middle English.

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11y ago

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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 word Great have a long vowel sound?

Yes. The EA pair is pronounced as a long A (ay) sound.


What does the sound ea make?

The sound "ea" can represent different sounds in English, primarily the long "ee" sound as in "beach" or the short "e" sound as in "bread." In words like "great," it can also produce a diphthong sound. The pronunciation often depends on the specific word and context.


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 break have a short or long vowel sound?

Break has a long A sound. The EA vowel pair also has the long A in the word "great."Break is a homophone of brake.


Two vowels that make the long e sound?

The vowels "ee" as in "bee" and "ea" as in "beach" can make the long e sound.


Does repeat have a long a sound?

No. The EA has a long E sound. The only common word that has a long A is great.


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 steak a short vowel word?

No. The EA pair has a long A sound, as in great.


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.


How is the long a sound spelled?

The long A is usuallly represented as ā with the sound (ay).


Does please have a long a sound?

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