The English Alphabet
Our alphabet consists of  26 letters, of which 5 are vowels, 19 are consonants, and 2 are
Semivowels, i.e. dubious letters.
Vowels - A, a ; E, e ; I,  i ; 0, o ; U, u.
Consonants - B, b ; C, c ; D, d ; F, f ; G, g ; H, h ; J, j ; K, k ; L, 1 ; M, m ; N, n ; P, p ; Q, q ; R, r ; S, s : T, t ; Y, V ; X, X ; Z, z.
Semivowels - Y, y ; W, w.
The letter y is superfluous as a vowel ; for it expresses Precisely the same sound as i. Thus there is no difference of sound between the first syllables of sm-ner and syn - tax. As a consonant, however, the y is indispensable for we could not express such words as yoke, yet without it.
The letter m; as a vowel is even less useful (if this were Possible) than y ; for it cannot stand alone as y can, but is seen only in such combinations as aw, ew , ow, all of which can be
Quite as easily spelt au, eu, ou. As a consonant, however, the letter w is indispensable for it enables us to express such words as will, wet.