Decoding and spelling exercises: /e/ vs /iː/

Since the spelling of // and /iː/ is often the same, many students confuse these two sounds, even if they are able to pronounce them. For example, the word "obesity" is often pronounced as instead of

Spelling
// is always followed by one or more consonants. In derived words a single consonant is usually doubled (let, letting; red, reddish).

"e" as //

 * before single consonant: center, develop, ever, level, present (n), recognize, record (n), second
 * before two consonants: effect, member, question, together, whether

"e" as /iː/

 * before single consonant: detail, Egypt, even, region, species, Sweden

Minimal pairs

 * bet - beat; cell, sell - seal; check - cheek; fell - feel; less - lease; men - mean; met - meet, meat; net - neat; said - seed; set - seat; step - steep; sweat - sweet; well - wheel;

Variant pronunciations

 * // or /iː/: economic

Heteronyms

 * lead /liːd/ (guide) - /ld/ (metal)
 * read /riːd/ (present) - /rd/ (past)