Which pattern causes the preceding vowel to say its name (a long vowel sound) in the word 'cake'?

Which pattern causes the preceding vowel to say its name (a long vowel sound) in the word 'cake'?

• A. CCVC
• B. CVCe
• C. CVC
• D. CVVC

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that a long vowel is produced when a vowel is followed by a silent e at the end of a word. In cake, the a is followed by a final e that isn’t pronounced, but it changes the a from a short sound to its long sound (the a says its name, like the letter itself). This is the classic consonant–vowel–consonant–silent-e pattern, where the silent e lengthens the preceding vowel. The other patterns don’t have that silent e after the vowel, or they place vowels in a way that doesn’t produce the long-vowel effect for this word, so the vowel wouldn’t say its name.

The key idea is that a long vowel is produced when a vowel is followed by a silent e at the end of a word. In cake, the a is followed by a final e that isn’t pronounced, but it changes the a from a short sound to its long sound (the a says its name, like the letter itself). This is the classic consonant–vowel–consonant–silent-e pattern, where the silent e lengthens the preceding vowel.

The other patterns don’t have that silent e after the vowel, or they place vowels in a way that doesn’t produce the long-vowel effect for this word, so the vowel wouldn’t say its name.