Here's how it works:
* Silent "e" makes the vowel sound long. This is the most common effect.
* Examples:
* "cat" (short vowel sound) vs. "cate" (long vowel sound)
* "hop" (short vowel sound) vs. "hope" (long vowel sound)
* "pin" (short vowel sound) vs. "pine" (long vowel sound)
Important Note: There are some words where the "e" does NOT make the preceding vowel long. This is usually because the vowel already has a long sound, like in "cone", or in words with a consonant "y" like "dye."
Let me know if you want more examples or want to explore specific cases.