E-I is used in words in which it has the sound of a. Or the sound of I as in 'height.' 'Sleigh, Stein, Fahrenheit.'
10 seconds sound clip from the A Boy Named Charlie Brown movie soundboard.
You can hear this line at 00:38:11.698 in the DVD version of the movie.
Quote context
[...]
- Only one word in the language ends in s-e-d-e. Supersede.
- Three others end in c-e-e-d. Exceed, proceed, succeed.
- All others end in c-e-d-e. Accede, concede, intercede, precede, recede, secede.
- I before e, except after c. Let's see... before c...
- 'Dissolve.' D-i-s-o-l-v-e. 'Dissolve.'
- That stupid Charlie Brown. He's gonna get it this time.
[...]