control+e not working

for two days i've been trying to add accents to vowels using CTL+e and then vowel. No avail. Scoured web, forums, issue not addressed. CTL + everything else works, just not the accents. THANK YOU.

 

you ARE a genius and my new best friend. I have Lion and now i just hold it down and have the options. I have posted in other forums, searched the web for 36 hours. That isn't explained anywhere. Now, that issue is resolved, and I thank you - but, is there something wrong with my option key, because it works for ALL other (ñ ¡ etc) just not the +e. Should I take it in? Thank you so much.