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                        AMERICAN ENGLISH SPEECH

                                    VOWEL SOUNDS

                                   

UR                               

 

The UR is difficult to make because it has an R sound in it.  And to make it harder, non-native speakers can be confused by the multiple ways to spell this sound.  Don’t try to change the vowel sound to match its spelling.  The words “her,” “sir,” “fur,” “were,” and “earth” all have the same vowel sound in spite of their different spelling.

 

Instructions to make this sound: Is your tongue raised high in the center of your mouth?  Be sure that you hear an R sound.

 

Common problems: Not pronouncing enough R so “bird” sounds like “bud.”

 

Common spellings: AR as in “dollar,” ER as in “her,” IR as in “sir,” OR as in “motor,” UR as in “fur,” EAR as in “early,” OUR as in “journal,” RE as in “acre”

 

            early                                       an early bird            

            urgent                                    an urgent matter    

            work                                       work later than before      

            yesterday                             yesterday afternoon         

            were                                       they were certain   

            dollar                                     a dollar thirty                      

 

            They’ll defer the merger for another term.                  

            Her brother entertained in the center theater.