nap · nape

nap /næp/ vs nape /neɪp/ — adding a silent E transforms the short /æ/ into the diphthong /eɪ/. A short sleep vs the back of the neck.

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⠿ reorder

A person napping on a sofa with a blanket

noun or verb — a short sleep during the day — 'take a nap' · 'I need a quick nap' · 'nap time' · 'cat nap'

mouth shape

short /æ/ — mouth wide open, jaw dropped, like 'cat' or 'hat' — the syllable is closed by the final /p/ — quick, clipped vowel

nap

/næp/

vowel length

short /æ/

⠿ reorder

noun — the back of the neck — 'nape of the neck' · 'hair on the nape' — always used with 'of the neck'

mouth shape

diphthong /eɪ/ — the silent E at the end makes the vowel long and gliding — mouth opens mid-high then glides to a smile — like 'tape', 'cape', 'shape'

nape

/neɪp/

vowel length

diphthong /eɪ/

Magic E spotlight — one letter changes the whole vowel

nap

/næp/

short /æ/ — closed syllable

like: cat · hat · map · tap

+E →

nape

/neɪp/

diphthong /eɪ/ — magic E

like: tape · cape · shape · late

Magic E rule

Adding a silent E to nap creates nape — and the vowel changes completely. The /æ/ in nap (like “cat”) becomes the diphthong /eɪ/ in nape(like “tape”). The E is silent, but it “magic-E” stretches the vowel before it into a long gliding sound. Same pattern: mad → made, cap → cape, tap → tape, hat → hate.

Example sentences

nap:“I usually take a short nap after lunch.”

nap:“Even a 20-minute nap can restore your energy.”

nape:“She felt a chill on the nape of her neck.”

nape:“He rested his hand on the nape of her neck gently.”

Hear it in a sentence

“She took a short nap on the sofa after lunch and woke up refreshed.”

“He tucked the label inside the collar so it wouldn't scratch the nape of his neck.”

Hear it in the wild

Real speech from native speakers — the most reliable way to check a pronunciation, since automated audio can vary by device and browser.

YouGlish↗

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