English spelling can look confusing, but learning common patterns makes reading and writing much easier. One helpful pattern is the vowel digraph “ie.” This digraph shows up in many words you see every day. Let’s explore what it is, how it sounds, and the best way to remember it.
Vowel Digraph “ie”
What is the “ie” Digraph?
The digraph “ie” is formed by the letters i and e appearing side by side. It usually produces one vowel sound in a word, but there is more than one possible pronunciation.
Common Pronunciations of “ie”
Here are the main ways “ie” is pronounced in English:
1️⃣ “ie” = /aɪ/ Sound
This is the most frequent sound in everyday words.
Examples:
- tie /taɪ/
- pie /paɪ/
- cried /kraɪd/
- tried /traɪd/
Examine the model that represents the correct setup for /aɪ/.
Listen and notice how gently the /aɪ/ sound begins “my.”
Tip: When “ie” is at the end of a word, it almost always makes the /aɪ/ sound.
2️⃣ “ie” = /iː/ Sound
This pronunciation is often found in words where ie comes inside a word, especially in some longer words.
Examples:
- chief /tʃiːf/
- field /fiːld/
- belief /bɪˈliːf/
- grief /ɡriːf/
Check the example image to understand how /iː/ should look.
Hear how the /i:/ sound pushes air out in “see.”
Tip: When “ie” is inside a word, it often makes the /iː/ sound.
3️⃣ “ie” in Unstressed Syllables
In some longer words, “ie” can be pronounced as a weak /i/ or /ə/.
Examples:
/i/ sound:
- movie /ˈmuːvi/
- studies /ˈstʌdiz/
Look at the diagram to get a clear idea of how /i/ is formed.
Listen carefully to catch how long the /i/ sound lasts in “sit.”
/ə/ sound:
Have a look at the diagram designed to help you visualize /ə/.
Press play and observe how the /ə/ sound softens in “about.”
These are less common, but you will see them sometimes.
Words with Vowel Digraph “ie”
Words with “ie” = /aɪ/ Sound
| Word | IPA |
|---|---|
| tie | /taɪ/ |
| die | /daɪ/ |
| pie | /paɪ/ |
| lie | /laɪ/ |
| vie | /vaɪ/ |
| cried | /kraɪd/ |
| tried | /traɪd/ |
| fried | /fraɪd/ |
| dried | /draɪd/ |
| spied | /spaɪd/ |
| flies | /flaɪz/ |
| fries | /fraɪz/ |
| plied | /plaɪd/ |
| replied | /rɪˈplaɪd/ |
| applied | /əˈplaɪd/ |
| denied | /dɪˈnaɪd/ |
| supplied | /səˈplaɪd/ |
| implied | /ɪmˈplaɪd/ |
| untied | /ʌnˈtaɪd/ |
Words with “ie” = /iː/ Sound
| Word | IPA |
|---|---|
| chief | /tʃiːf/ |
| brief | /briːf/ |
| belief | /bɪˈliːf/ |
| relieve | /rɪˈliːv/ |
| achieve | /əˈtʃiːv/ |
| field | /fiːld/ |
| yield | /jiːld/ |
| thief | /θiːf/ |
| niece | /niːs/ |
| piece | /piːs/ |
| siege | /siːdʒ/ |
| shriek | /ʃriːk/ |
| relief | /rɪˈliːf/ |
| priest | /priːst/ |
| grief | /ɡriːf/ |
| reprieve | /rɪˈpriːv/ |
| retrieve | /rɪˈtriːv/ |
| shield | /ʃiːld/ |
| species | /ˈspiːʃiːz/ |
| diesel | /ˈdiːzəl/ |
| ceiling | /ˈsiːlɪŋ/ |