PRACTICE IPA

Unit 8: Here and there /ɪə/ and /eə/

A. How to make the sound /ɪə/

ɪə/ is a long sound. It moves from /ɪ/ to /ə/. Look at the
diagram. Listen and say the sound. Target sound: /ɪə/

B. Sound and spelling

/ɪə/ is spelled in different ways. Listen and repeat.

  • real: /rɪəl/
  • ear: /ɪə/
  • beard: /bɪəd/
  • clear: /klɪə/
  • hear: /hɪə/
  • nearly: /ˈnɪəli/
  • year: /jɪə/
  • beer: /bɪə/
  • cheers: /tʃɪəz/
  • here: /hɪə/
  • we’re: /wɪə/

Listen and say these sentences.

  1. We’re here! /wɪə hɪə/
  2. Have a beer – cheers!/hæv ə bɪə – tʃɪəz/
  3. Is therea bank near here? /ɪz ðeər ə bæŋk nɪə hɪə/
  4. The meaning isn’t really clear. /ðə ˈmiːnɪŋ ˈɪznt ˈrɪəli klɪə/

C. How to make the sound /eə/

/eə/ is a long sound. It moves from /e/ to /ə/. Look at the
diagram. Listen and say the sound. Target sound: /eə/

D. Sound and spelling

/eə/ is spelled in different ways. Listen and repeat.

  • care: /keə/
  • square: /skweə/
  • air: /eə/
  • chair: /tʃeə/
  • fair: /feə/
  • hair: /heə/
  • stair: /steə/
  • wear: /weə/
  • where: /weə/
  • aeroplane: /ˈeərəpleɪn/

Listen and say these phrases and sentences.

  1. Where? /weə/
  2. Up there, in the air, of course! /ʌp ðeə | ɪn ðɪ eə | əv kɔːs/