English Pronunciation "Silent E"

I can' t resist sharing this little text with you.
I don't know the author, as I found it when glancing through a textbook recently.

Silent E

Who can turn a can into a cane ?
Who can turn a pan into a pane ?
It’s not too hard to see.
It’s Silent E.

Who can turn a cub into a cube ?
Who can turn a tub into a tube ?
It’s elementary.
It’s Silent E.

He took a pin and turned it into a pine.
He took a twin and turned him into twine.

Who can turn a cap into a cape ?
Who can turn a tap into a tape ?
A little glob becomes a globe instantly.
If  you just add Silent E.

He turned a dam – Alikazam ! – into a dame.
But my friend Sam stayed just the same.

Who can turn a man into a mane ?
Who can turn a van into a vane ?
A little hug becomes huge instantly.
Don’t add W, don’t add X, don’t add Y or Z.
Just add Silent E.

Very nice Guilaine! Thank you!

This actually is a song written by Tom Lehrer.

This song was written for the PBS children's show "The Electric Company" in 1971. It appeared on an album of songs from "The Electric Company" in stereo. It appears in mono as a bonus track on the CD of Tom Lehrer Revisited and in stereo on The Remains Of Tom Lehrer.

Here's this song on YouTube

Good to learn new words!

PS: As usual on YouTube, watch right column to discover other children's songs

I enjoyed this song. Thanks Guilaine and Gérard !

Welcome Muriel!

Thank you, Gérard, for The song by the Electric Company and Tom Lehrer.
I think it's a good way to learn, all the more so with small children.
I was also very pleased to see and listen to all the other children's songs that went with it on YouTube.
Actually, I showed Mimi the mouse to my grandchild (15 months old). He was delighted!

You're welcome Ghislaine!
I'm pleased you could also listen to the similar songs suggested by YouTube.

Hi everyone,

You noticed that adding a "silent e" to a one-syllable word changes the pronunciation of the vowel.
eg can -> cane, man -> mane, etc.

The vowel in the one-syllable word is short and it is transformed into a long one.
Let's remember the pronunciation of the vowel of a one-syllable word is similar to the pronunciation of the same letter inside a longer word provided this vowel is followed by a double consonant.
eg  latter / later
eg can -> canned (same pronunciation of the "a")
The end of the word (last syllable) is similar to a double consonant inside a word.
That's why a one syllable verb often gives a past, a present participle, a past participle with a double consonant (to keep the sound).
By the way, notice "to hide, I hid, hidden"... remember the sound of the "i"? long, short, short.

Hi everyone,

Back to songs in general.

Now regarding songs (generally speaking, not especially children's songs) used to learn...
- songs are pleasant, and attractive, so indeed a good way to learn more easily
- let's remember that the melody of a song (again, I'm not speaking about children's songs) obliges the singer to breathe like the creator (the rhythm is imposed) planned it.
The consequence is that the singer loses their possible strong accent (listen to Quebecker singers -Garou, Céline Dion, etc- they have the accent of Quebec when they speak but not when they sing).

So, songs are very good to get a good accent as well as the good stress on words, as well as good stresses in the sentence.

Hi everyone,

"Silent E" is a "e" which is not pronounced as it could be

The normal sound of "e" at the end of a word is silent but sometimes it is "i" (French "i").
For example in recipe, in catastrophe, in abalone, etc. the French make frequent mistakes here Look into your dictionary for the pronunciation.

Thank you Gérard for teaching e pronunciation. Guilaine have you noticed that Mimie la souris is Maisie  Mouse in English ? Have a look at peppa Pig it is also very nice for Young children.

Thank you Muriel for the video : Peppa the Pig, which I didn't know. No doubt, I will get some interest for that one also.