Long I vs Short I Sounds
Learning the Difference Between /ī/ and /ĭ/
Name:
Date:
Long I = /ī/ (like "time")     Short I = /ĭ/ (like "sit")
In English, the letter I can make two different sounds! Long I = /ī/ (sounds like "eye" - like in "time", "bike", "like") Short I = /ĭ/ (sounds like "ih" - like in "sit", "big", "win"). Practice saying "time" (/ī/) and "sit" (/ĭ/) - hear the difference! Long I says its name, short I is quick.
Pronunciation Practice Chart

Practice these words. Notice the difference between Long I and Short I sounds.

Picture Word (Long I) Pronunciation Word (Short I) Pronunciation
⏰ time tīm sit sĭt
🚲 bike bīk big bĭg
👍 like līk win wĭn
✈️ fly flī hit hĭt
👁️ eye ī it ĭt
⚪ white whīt bit bĭt
🌙 night nīt six sĭx
📏 wide wīd did dĭd
Vocabulary: Words You Will Read

Practice these words before reading the story. Pay attention to Long I and Short I sounds.

time
(tīm)
while
(whīl)
decide
(dē cīde')
inside
(in' sīde)
visit
(viz' it)
quickly
(quick' ly)
finish
(fin' ish)
different
(dif' fer ent)
Reading: "Mike's Big Decision"
Mike's Big Decision
Mike is a kind man who lives in a big city. He likes to ride his bike to work every day. One day, Mike decided it was time to visit his sister, who lives in a different city. Mike's sister lives in a small village. Mike had not visited her in a long time. He missed her very much. Mike decided to take a trip to see his sister. He planned to ride his bike, but it was a very long trip. The trip would take him many days. Mike thought about this for a while. He did not want to spend too much time on the road. He wanted to arrive quickly.
Mike decided to take the train instead. The train would get him there in time for dinner. Mike packed his things inside a big bag. He put in his white shirt, his nice tie, and a gift for his sister. Mike left his apartment and walked to the train station. When he got there, he bought his ticket. The train was on time. Mike found his seat and sat down. He looked outside the window. He watched the city go by. The train moved quickly. Soon, the big city was behind him. Mike saw fields and farms. He saw hills and rivers. It was a nice trip.
When Mike arrived, his sister was waiting for him. She was very happy to see him. They hugged and smiled. Mike's sister invited him inside her house. It was a nice house, but it was different from Mike's apartment in the city. Her house was bigger. It had a big kitchen and a wide living room. Mike liked it. They sat down and talked for a long time. Mike told his sister about his life in the city. His sister told him about her life in the village. They had dinner together. After dinner, they decided to take a walk. It was a nice night. The sky was dark, and the stars were bright. Mike was happy he decided to visit. He knew he would visit again soon.
Comprehension Questions
1. Who is Mike going to visit?
2. How did Mike decide to travel? Why?
3. What did Mike pack in his bag?
4. What did Mike see on his trip?
5. How was his sister's house different?
6. What did Mike and his sister do after dinner?
Practice Activities
Activity 1: Listen and Identify Long I or Short I Sound

Your teacher will say each word. Circle Long I if you hear /ī/ sound, circle Short I if you hear /ĭ/ sound:

Word Long I /ī/ Short I /ĭ/
1. time ( ) ( )
2. sit ( ) ( )
3. decide ( ) ( )
4. visit ( ) ( )
5. inside ( ) ( )
6. quickly ( ) ( )
7. finish ( ) ( )
8. different ( ) ( )
Activity 1b: Minimal Pairs - Circle What You Hear

Your teacher will say ONE word from each pair. Circle the word you hear:

# Word 1 (Long I) Word 2 (Short I)
1. time ( ) sit ( )
2. bike ( ) big ( )
3. like ( ) win ( )
4. white ( ) bit ( )
5. night ( ) six ( )
6. wide ( ) did ( )
7. fly ( ) hit ( )
8. eye ( ) it ( )
Activity 2: Complete the Sentences

Fill in the blanks with words from the story:

1. Mike decided it was _______________ to visit his sister.

2. Mike packed his things _______________ a big bag.

3. The train moved _______________ to get him there.

4. Mike's sister invited him _______________ her house.

5. Her house was _______________ from Mike's apartment.

Activity 3: Word Pairs - Long I vs Short I

Read each pair. Circle the word with Long I sound:

1. (time / sit)

time ( )    sit ( )

2. (bike / big)

bike ( )    big ( )

3. (like / win)

like ( )    win ( )

4. (white / bit)

white ( )    bit ( )

5. (night / six)

night ( )    six ( )
Activity 4: Mark Word Stress

Put the stress mark (') after the stressed syllable:

Example: decide = de cide'     inside = in' side

1. quickly = quick ly
2. finish = fin ish
3. different = dif fer ent
4. visit = vis it
5. while = wh ile