How to learn English: Practice Pronunciation: Air, Ear, Ire
262 Video Views·Sep 27, 2025
Now you can learn English quickly by yourself at home for free step by step! This video gives you a topic for conversation, something to speak about, as well as some words and phrases to use. Great for teachers and students of English as a second language (ESL) both in the classroom and as self-study.
This video deals with the English vowel and consonant combination sounds air, ear, and ire. It gives examples and practice for correct pronunciation.
English pronunciation practice. Ear, air, ire. A lot of students have problems
with the English vowel and consonant combinations air, ear or ear, ire or ire.
What makes it even more complicated is the spellings are so varied here.
For example, for air, it's commonly spelled a-i-r, a-r-e or e-a-r. For ear, it's commonly
spelled e-a-r, e-e-r or i-e-r. For ire, it's commonly spelled i-r-e or y-r-e. There are
other spellings for these sounds as well. Let's hear these sounds in contrast. Air, ear, ire.
Again. Air, ear, ire. Let's try some new words. Fair, fear, fire. Now you say it. Fair, fear,
fire. Some more contrasting sounds. Hair, hear, hire. Hair, hear, hire. Bear, beer, buyer.
Now with buyer, you can hear a strong two syllable sound here. Buyer. Bear, beer, buyer.
Tear, tear, tire. Now you'll notice that the sounds tear and tear can be spelled with the
same letters. So this can be a little bit confusing. T-e-a-r can be pronounced tear or tear.
Tear, tear, tire. Now it's your turn. I will show a picture and you pronounce the word in English.
For example, you see this picture and you say the word here. Ready? Number one, you say it first.
Fair, fair. Number two, you say it. Fear, fear. Number three, wire, wire. Number four,
hair, hair. Number eight, liar, liar. Number nine, ear, ear. Number ten, stare, stare.
Now let's try these sounds in sentences. I saw a bear drinking beer.
I saw a bear drinking beer. Who was drinking beer? Or what was drinking beer? A bear.
What was the bear drinking? Beer. Did Phil fear they were going to fire him?
You say it. Did Phil fear they were going to fire him? Who's the man? Phil. What did Phil feel?
Fear. He felt fear. Why did he feel fear? He thought they were going to fire him.
Phil fear fire. Can you draw a squire in a town square? Try it. Can you draw a squire
in a town square? What are you going to draw? A squire. And where is the squire?
In a square. Or a town square. Thanks for watching. Hope that was helpful.
See you in the next video. And keep studying and practicing your English pronunciation.