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    Pronunciation · diphthong

    The /ɪə/ sound: ear as in here

    In short

    /ɪə/ is a centring diphthong: glides from /ɪ/ towards schwa /ə/, the diphthong you hear in here, year, near. 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 /ɪə/

    1. 1Start with the short /ɪ/ of 'sit'.
    2. 2Relax into a schwa, the jaw drops slightly.
    3. 3No r sound at the end in British English: here, year, idea.

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

    /ɪə/ in words, with audio

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

    • herehɪə · sound is final
    • yearjɪə · sound is final
    • nearnɪə · sound is final
    • ideaaɪˈdɪə · sound is final
    • periodˈpɪəriəd · sound is medial
    • careerkəˈrɪə · sound is final

    The mistake almost everyone makes

    Pronouncing a strong r at the end ('hee-rrr') or flattening to a long /iː/ so 'beer' sounds like 'bee'.

    Spellings of /ɪə/

    These letter patterns commonly spell /ɪə/: ere ear eer ea. English spelling is unreliable; trust the IPA, not the letters.

    British vs American: American English keeps the r: 'here' = /hɪr/. If you follow an American model, pronounce the r consistently everywhere.

    Words that drill /ɪə/

    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.

    deterioratedi-TEER-ee-uh-rate

    Browse the whole word bank

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    Frequently asked questions

    How do you pronounce the /ɪə/ sound?
    Start with the short /ɪ/ of 'sit'. Relax into a schwa, the jaw drops slightly. No r sound at the end in British English: here, year, idea.
    What is the most common mistake with /ɪə/?
    Pronouncing a strong r at the end ('hee-rrr') or flattening to a long /iː/ so 'beer' sounds like 'bee'.
    Which spellings make the /ɪə/ sound?
    Common spellings include “ere”, “ear”, “eer”, “ea”, as in here /hɪə/, year /jɪə/, near /nɪə/.
    Is /ɪə/ different in American English?
    American English keeps the r: 'here' = /hɪr/. If you follow an American model, pronounce the r consistently everywhere. IELTS accepts both; pick one model and stay consistent.
    Does /ɪə/ 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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