Which word contains a silent 'e' at the end?

Which word contains a silent 'e' at the end?

• A. lake
• B. laken
• C. loaf
• D. lane

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is how a final silent e changes the way the preceding vowel is pronounced. When a word ends with a single consonant followed by a final e, the e doesn’t make its own sound. Instead, it signals that the vowel before the consonant should say its long sound. In lake, the final e is not spoken, but it makes the preceding a say its long name, so the word sounds like layk. That silent e at the end is a common spelling pattern used to indicate a long vowel in many words. Other options either don’t show this final e pattern clearly or aren’t standard examples of the same rule.

The idea being tested is how a final silent e changes the way the preceding vowel is pronounced. When a word ends with a single consonant followed by a final e, the e doesn’t make its own sound. Instead, it signals that the vowel before the consonant should say its long sound. In lake, the final e is not spoken, but it makes the preceding a say its long name, so the word sounds like layk. That silent e at the end is a common spelling pattern used to indicate a long vowel in many words. Other options either don’t show this final e pattern clearly or aren’t standard examples of the same rule.