Vowel 11: /ɜː/

Comparison with Spanish

English /ɜː/ sounds different to Spanish /e/ because English /ɜː/ is central whereas Spanish /e/ is front. It is a long sound. Common spellings are:

<ir> bird, skirt, thirty
<ur> turn, church, nurse
<ear> search, early, learn

Practice

- Mind the first curve.
- Stir before you serve.
- Learn all the verbs