This letter is a consonant and a vowel.

As a vowel, it can make two long open vowel sounds:

/ī/, /ī/, /ī/, spy, magnify and

/ē/, /ē/, /ē/, lady

At the end of a one-syllable word, Open Y will say /ī/, as in “spy”. Sometimes, it will say /ī/ at the end of multi-syllable words , as in “magnify”. Sometimes, it will say /ē/ at the end of multisyllable words, as in “lady:”

Look at this image and decide how it can help you remember the two sounds of long, open Y.