When 'y' begins a word, it is a consonant. If 'y' falls anywhere else in the word it is going to be a vowel. The problem is, 'y' uses the sound of long 'i', short 'i', or long 'e'. However it is easy to teach the rules for 'y' because it follows the 5 Phonetic Skills.
'y' has the sound of short 'i' when it is the only working vowel with guardians. It has the sound of long 'i' when it stands alone or when followed by silent 'e'. And it says nothing at all as a silent adjacent vowel.
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