The vowels /ɪ/ and /i/ are variants of one category whose use depends on the position of the vowel in a word. They are not interchangeable, however: it is impossible for speakers to pronounce /i/ instead of /ɪ/ in native English in any environment.
Ex. I. Look at the following words containing the short vowel /ɪ/ and find their counterparts containing the short vowel /e/.
a. bill/Bill, bin, bit, bid, bliss b. Brit, din, fill, fins, fitter c. gin, git, gist, hill d. Jill, kin, lid, list e. mill, miss, mint, nick/Nick f. nil, nit/knit, pig g. pick, pin, Pippa, pit
h. rich, rid, rip, river, since i. sit, sill, will, whipped, wrist j. win, wince, whist, wit
Ex. II. Which words contain the vowel /i/? How is it usually spelt?
winner, lucky, firm, happy, chimpanzee, kitty, print, edgy, mill, witty, ginger, giddy, hill, wintry, binge, study, dear, womanly, hear, daily, greatest, weekly, birth, monthly, limp, thirty, thirteen, forty, fourteen, fifty
KEY
I. a. bell, Ben, bet, bed, bless; b. Brett, den, fell, Fens, feta (cheese); c. Jen, get, jest, hell; d. gel, Ken, led, lest; e. Mel, mess, meant, neck; f. knell/Nell, net, peg; g.peck, pen, pepper/Peppa, pet; h. wretch, red, rep, revver (engine), sense; i. set, sell, well, wept, rest; j. when, whence, west, wet
II. lucky, happy, kitty, edgy, witty, giddy, wintry, study, womanly, daily, weekly, monthly, thirty, forty, fifty
The usual spelling is <y>.
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