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    Pronunciation · diphthong

    The /eə/ sound: air as in hair

    In short

    /eə/ is a centring diphthong: glides from /e/ towards schwa /ə/, the diphthong you hear in hair, there, care. Like every diphthong, the glide between two positions IS the sound. Below: exactly how to position your mouth, audio you can copy, the mistakes learners actually make, and drills to fix them.

    How to pronounce /eə/

    1. 1Start with the /e/ of 'bed', mouth slightly more open.
    2. 2Relax into a schwa without any r sound (British).
    3. 3Hair, there, care.

    Sounds like: 'eh-uh' blended into one syllable

    /eə/ in words, with audio

    Listen, then copy. The slow (turtle) version exaggerates the mouth movement.

    • hairheə · sound is final
    • thereðeə · sound is final
    • carekeə · sound is final
    • wearweə · sound is final
    • areaˈeəriə · sound is initial
    • parentsˈpeərənts · sound is medial

    The mistake almost everyone makes

    Replacing it with /ɪə/ so 'hair' sounds like 'here', or adding a hard r. 'Hair/here' and 'fair/fear' are frequent mix-ups.

    Spellings of /eə/

    These letter patterns commonly spell /eə/: air ere are ear. English spelling is unreliable; trust the IPA, not the letters.

    British vs American: American English uses /er/ with a clear r: 'hair' = /her/.

    Words that drill /eə/

    Each has a full breakdown, audio in both accents and a recording drill. Practising a sound inside a real word transfers better than practising it alone.

    questionnairekwes-chuh-NAIR

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    Frequently asked questions

    How do you pronounce the /eə/ sound?
    Start with the /e/ of 'bed', mouth slightly more open. Relax into a schwa without any r sound (British). Hair, there, care.
    What is the most common mistake with /eə/?
    Replacing it with /ɪə/ so 'hair' sounds like 'here', or adding a hard r. 'Hair/here' and 'fair/fear' are frequent mix-ups.
    Which spellings make the /eə/ sound?
    Common spellings include “air”, “ere”, “are”, “ear”, as in hair /heə/, there /ðeə/, care /keə/.
    Is /eə/ different in American English?
    American English uses /er/ with a clear r: 'hair' = /her/. IELTS accepts both; pick one model and stay consistent.
    Does /eə/ matter for IELTS?
    It is a polish-level sound: errors are audible but rarely stop a listener understanding you. IELTS scores intelligibility, not perfection; prioritise the contrasts that change word meaning.

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