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Open single vowels
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This is an internal web link, which will open in the same window.Spelling exercises   This is an external web link, which will open a new browser window.Dutch spelling reform in 2006 

English version by Bieneke Berendsen :: other languages
Determining whether a single vowel is long or short, requires a good knowledge of the rules for breaking up a word into its Internal link syllables.

If a syllable ends in a vowel, the vowel is always long one.

In the examples below, the words are divided into syllables.

a This is a sound file, which will open your media player.[a]
ma-ken (to make), wa-ter, water (water), na (after),
dra (soon)
e This is a sound file, which will open your media player.[e]
we-ten (to know), be-ter (better), we-zen (creature), be-zig (busy)
i This is a sound file, which will open your media player.[i]
a-li-bi (alibi..), po-li-tie (police), mi-nis-ter (minister), fi-na-le (final)
o This is a sound file, which will open your media player.[o]
ko-men (to come), dro-gen (to dry), bo-ten (boats)

But: when o precedes the letter r, it is pronounced as when oo precedes the letter r:
This is a sound file, which will open your media player.[ɔː]
sto-ren (to disturb), ho-ren (to hear), vo-ri-ge (previous)
u This is a sound file, which will open your media player.[y]
bu-ren (neighbours), Tu-ne-si-e, Tunesië (Tunisia), tri-bu-ne (tribune)
y in originally foreign words:
This is a sound file, which will open your media player.[i]
baby, derby, lyceum

No open double vowel

The no-open-double-vowel rule is an important spelling rule you are advised to learn as soon as possible. Although grown-ups can and do make many spelling mistakes, disregarding this rule will make your text look a bit childish.
A syllable never
ends in a double vowel
This is not necessary because a single vowel at the end of a syllable is already long. It does not need to be doubled.

As you will learn later, the letter e is an exception to this rule (Internal link double ee). Indeed, one of those nasty little exceptions, but you will appreciate that the reason for this is quite sensible.
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