/ɪə/ — the /ɪə/ sound
the /ɪə/ sound
Vowels · Gliding vowels
This sound hasn't been scored yet.
How to make it
Start at /ɪ/ and relax back to /ə/.
Watch a native speaker say it
See the mouth and tongue before you record — hearing a sound rarely tells you where the tongue goes.
BBC Learning English · 👄 Diphthong /ɪə/ in 'near’, ‘hear’ & ‘weary’ - English Pronunciation Tips Watch on YouTube
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Words with this sound
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flyer
/flˈaɪə/
theater
/ˈθɪətɚ/
cinnamon
/ˈsɪəmən/
earphone
/ˈɪə(ɹ)fəʊn/
tear
/tˈɪə/
amphibian
/æmˈfɪbɪən/
ampere
/ˈæmˌpɪəɹ/
cordially
/kˈɔːdɪəli/
jovial
/ˈd͡ʒoʊvɪəl/
layover
/lˈeɪəʊvə/
mishear
/mɪsˈhɪə(ɹ)/
premier
/pɹɪˈmɪəɹ/
Minimal pairs
Two words that differ by exactly one sound. Listen until you can tell them apart, then say them yourself.
- ɪə
tear
/tˈɪə/
iːtea
/tiː/
- ɪə
seer
/sɪə(ɹ)/
ɪsear
/sɪɹ/
- ɪə
cinnamon
/ˈsɪəmən/
æsalmon
/ˈsæmən/
- ɪə
tear
/tˈɪə/
ɑːta
/tɑː/
- ɪə
seer
/sɪə(ɹ)/
ɔːsoar
/sɔːr/
- ɪə
tear
/tˈɪə/
uːto
/tuː/
- ɪə
cinnamon
/ˈsɪəmən/
ʌsummon
/ˈsʌmən/
- ɪə
cinnamon
/ˈsɪəmən/
ɚsermon
/ˈsɝmən/
Test yourself on this sound
Read these 8 words in one recording. The AI scores every sound and tells you whether your /ɪə/ came out right.