I Swear English › Pronunciation › The /air/ Sound - Air, Bear, Care
How to form the the /air/ sound
304 The Sound ɛə - Air, Bear, Where, Care:
When to use it
- The diphthong /eə/ is the sound in air. It glides from an e-like sound towards a soft, neutral schwa.
- Start with your mouth fairly open and relax it as the sound ends.
Example words: air, bear, where, care, hair, chair, there, wear, fair, square
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Common mistakes to avoid
| Not quite… | Better |
|---|---|
| Making it a single flat vowel | It glides — you can feel your mouth move from /e/ towards /ə/. Don't freeze it. |
| Confusing hair and here | hair = /eə/ (starts open); here = /ɪə/ (starts with an ee sound). |
Frequently asked questions
Why do ‘bear’ and ‘where’ rhyme?
Both use the /eə/ diphthong, even though one is spelled -ear and the other -ere.
Is there an ‘r’ sound in it?
In standard British English, no — the r isn't pronounced; the sound simply glides into a soft schwa.
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