Spelling Rules. Y can act as a vowel or a consonant

In English, the letter “y” can act as both a consonant and a vowel, depending on its position in a word and the surrounding letters.

The general rules for when “y” acts as a vowel are as follows:

• At the beginning of a word:
  • When “y” is the first letter in a word, it usually functions as a consonant. For example: “yellow,” “yes,” “yarn.”
• In the middle of a word, surrounded by consonants:
  • When “y” is in the middle of a word and is preceded and followed by consonants, it often functions as a vowel. For example: “gym,” “myth,” “lynx.”
• At the end of a word, preceded by a consonant:
  • When “y” is at the end of a word and is preceded by a consonant, it can act as a vowel. In this case, when adding a suffix, the “y” may change to “i.” For example: “happy” becomes “happier,” “party” becomes “parties.”
• In certain one-syllable words or unstressed syllables:
  • In some one-syllable words and unstressed syllables, “y” can act as a vowel. For example: “gym,” “gypsy,” “system.”