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The “magic e” rule in phonics, also known as the silent ‘e’ or bossy ‘e’, describes how the letter ‘e’ at the end of a word can change the sound of the preceding vowel. When an ‘e’ is at the end of a word with a vowel-consonant-e (VCe) pattern, the ‘e’ is typically silent and makes the first vowel produce a long sound, meaning it “says its name”. How the Rule Works The fundamental principle of the magic ‘e’ is its effect on vowel sounds. It transforms a short vowel sound into a long vowel sound.