Diphthongs: /eə/ by Solomon Osuokam Ogbeh

 

The /eə/ Diphthong

The /eə/ diphthong starts with the vowel sound /e/ (as in "bed") and glides into the schwa sound /ə/ (as in "sofa"). It is commonly found in words where the vowel combination is "ea," "ere," "air," or "are." Proper articulation of /eə/ requires smooth transitioning between the two sounds without pausing.

Examples of Words with the /eə/ Diphthong

1. aerobic /eəˈrəʊbɪk/
2. aeroplane /ˈeərəpleɪn/
3. air /eə/
4. airport /ˈeəpɔːt/
5. aware /əˈweə/
6. bare /beə/
7. bear /beə/
8. care /keə/
9. chair /ʧeə/
10. dare /deə/
11. declare /dɪˈkleə/
12. despair /dɪsˈpeə/
13. fair /feə/
14. fare /feə/
15. flair /fleə/
16. glare /ɡleə/
17. hare /heə/
18. hair /heə/
19. heir /eə/
20. impair /ɪmˈpeə/
21. lair /leə/
22. lair /leə/
23. mayor /ˈmeə/
24. pair /peə/
25. pear /peə/
26. repair /rɪˈpeə/
27. rare /reə/
28. scare /skeə/
29. share /ʃeə/
30. snare /sneə/
31. spare /speə/
32. square /skweə/
33. stare /steə/
34. swear /sweə/
35. tear (rip) /teə/
36. their /ðeə/
37. there /ðeə/
38. ware /weə/
39. wear /weə/
40. where /weə/
41. welfare /ˈwelfeə/
42. wherefore /ˈweəfɔː/
43. therefore /ˈðeəfɔː/

Exercises

To master the /eə/ diphthong, students should engage in a variety of exercises, focusing on both recognition and production of the sound in different contexts. Here are some exercises to help students practice:

1.     Listening Exercise

• Listen to a recording of words with the /eə/ diphthong and identify the words.
• Listen to sentences and write down the words containing the /eə/ diphthong.

2.     Pronunciation Practice

• Practice reading sentences aloud that include multiple words with the /eə/ diphthong.

3.     Minimal Pairs

• Identify and practice pairs of words that differ only by the presence of the /eə/ diphthong.
• E.g., "bare" vs. "bar," "fair" vs. "far."

These exercises will improve your understanding and pronunciation of the /eə/ diphthong, enhancing your communication skills.