ˈoʊld ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ hæd spˈɛlɪŋ vˈɛɹiənts dᵻpˈɛndɪŋ ˌɔn dˈaɪəlɛkt, ɹˈiːd wʌzðə fˈɔːɹm ɪn wˈɛst sˈæksən, ɹˈeɪd wʌzðə spˈɛlɪŋ kˌæɹɪktɚɹˈɪstɪk ʌv nɔːɹθˈʌmbɹiən ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ.
Old English had spelling variants depending on dialect, rēad was the form in West Saxon, rēid was the spelling characteristic of Northumbrian English.