Vowels make several voiced sounds.

The breve above the letter reminds us that we are going to now focus on this vowel’s short, closed sound: /ĕ/, /ĕ/, /ĕ/, edge.

If remembering the sound is tricky, you can help your brain by using your body more. Trace or move your finger along the edge of a table as you say: /ĕ/, /ĕ/, /ĕ/, edge.

Depending on the speaker and use, a vowel can create a schwa sound. A schwa is a quick and relaxed vowel sound, typically in an unaccented syllable. There is not a standardized sound for a schwa, but the most common schwa sound for letter “E” sounds like the vowel sound in the middle syllable of the word “majesty”.