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Diphthong

SQUARE Diphthong / Centering Diphthong

The centering diphthong vowel sound heard in words like "care", "fair", "there", and "hair". Often called the SQUARE vowel. It starts with a mid-front unrounded vowel /e/ (like in 'bed' but slightly higher) and glides towards the central vowel /ə/ (schwa).

Voicing
Voiced
Place of Articulation
Front-to-Central
Manner of Articulation
Vowel (Diphthong)
Mouth Position

Start with the tongue mid-high and forward for the /e/ sound, jaw mid-open. Then, glide the tongue towards the center and lower it slightly while the jaw opens more for the /ə/ sound. Lips remain relatively neutral throughout.

How to Make This Sound

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Example Words

careMain Example
keə
fair
feə
there
ðeə
hair
heə
share
ʃeə
where
weə
chair
tʃeə
pair
peə
wear
weə
prepare
prɪˈpeə

Pronunciation Practice

11 words

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3-5 essential words

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All 11 words

Minimal Pairs

Listen and compare similar sounds

eə
care
keə
Compare with
C
core
kɔː
eə
fair
feə
Compare with
F
fear
fɪə
eə
where
weə
Compare with
W
were
wɜː

Tongue Twister

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Practice and related guides

Use the hub pages below to reinforce this sound with drills and deeper explanations.

Sound Hub

Study English diphthongs

See how English gliding vowels work and where they appear in common words.

Practice

Practice English diphthongs

Train the glide and mouth movement behind the main diphthong patterns.

Quiz

Test your American accent

Take a quick quiz to spot the sounds and stress patterns that still trip you up.

Pronunciation

What Are Diphthongs? The English Vowels That Move

Diphthongs are vowel sounds where your mouth glides from one position to another. Learn what makes them different from regular vowels and why they matter for clear English pronunciation.

Pronunciation

Why Romance Language Speakers Flatten English Diphthongs (and How to Glide Properly)

Spanish, Portuguese, and French speakers often turn English diphthongs into flat vowels, making 'say' sound like 'seh' and 'go' like 'goh.' Learn exactly why this happens and how to master the glide in all five English diphthongs.