Your Custom Text Here
beer, bear, bare, beard, bird...
What a confusing set of words! Let's look at them in more detail:
Note: In my South-East UK accent, I don't pronounce the letter R unless there is a vowel sound after it.
BEER /bɪə/
BEER
Confusing Words
same spelling + same sound = CHEER, DEER, STEER...
Confusing Words
different spelling + same sound = CLEAR, NEAR, TEAR (crying), YEAR...
Confusing Words
Have you got a beer? Yes? Cheers!
Confusing Words
BEAR /beə/
BEAR
Confusing Words
same spelling + same sound = PEAR, TEAR (rip), WEAR, SWEAR...
Confusing Words
same spelling + different sound = CLEAR, NEAR, TEAR (crying), YEAR...
Confusing Words
different spelling + same sound = BARE, CARE, DARE... FAIR, HAIR, PAIR...
Confusing Words
That bear's eating a pear!
Confusing Words
BARE /beə/
BARE
Confusing Words
same spelling + same sound = CARE, DARE, SCARE, SHARE...
Confusing Words
different spelling + same sound = BEAR, PEAR, TEAR (rip), WEAR, SWEAR... FAIR, HAIR, PAIR...
Confusing Words
I dare you to walk barefoot on the coals...
Confusing Words
BEARD /bɪəd/
BEARD
Confusing Words
same spelling + same sound = can't think of any!
same spelling + different sound = HEARD /hɜːd/
Confusing Words
different spelling + same sound = CLEARED, FEARED, GEARED... CHEERED... WEIRD
Confusing Words
He has a beard.
Confusing Words
I've heard /hɜːd/ he has a purple beard /bɪəd/.
Confusing Words
BIRD /bɜːd/
BIRD
Confusing Words
same spelling + same sound = THIRD /θɜːd/
Confusing Words
different spelling + same sound = NERD, HERD, HEARD, PURRED, CURD, WORD
Confusing Words
So now you know how to say:
A bear /beə/ was drinking a beer /bɪə/, when a bird /bɜːd/ landed in his beard /bɪəd/!
Confusing Words