NEAR
/ɪə/
Tips
Use traditional /ɪə/ by default in beer, near and here. Within a word, /r/ followed by another vowel can smooth NEAR to /ɪː/, as in series /ˈsɪːriz/ and nearer /ˈnɪːrə/. Read the NEAR rule for the full pattern. Across words, keep /ɪə/ plus linking r: here it is /hɪər ɪt ɪz/.
Tongue. Start at /ɪ/ and glide gently towards /ə/ within one syllable. For smoothed /ɪː/, hold the /ɪ/ position longer.
Lips. Keep the lips relaxed and slightly spread.
Examples
beer
near
here
idea
Watch for
- No R at the end: say beer /bɪə/, not /bir/.
- Don't split it into two syllables: say here /hɪə/, not /xiˈja/.