ɛ
Vowel
/ɛ/ — Open-mid front unrounded vowel
Example words
| Word | US English | UK English |
|---|---|---|
| bed | /ˈbɛd/ | /bɛd/ |
| ten | /ˈtɛn/ | /tɛn/ |
| red | /ˈɹɛd/ | /ɹɛd/ |
| head | /ˈhɛd/ | /hɛd/ |
| egg | /ˈɛɡ/ | /ɛɡ/ |
| friend | /ˈfɹɛnd/ | /fɹɛnd/ |
| get | /ˈɡɛt/ | /ɡɛt/ |
| pen | /ˈpɛn/ | /pɛn/ |
| yes | /ˈjɛs/ | /jɛs/ |
| bread | /ˈbɹɛd/ | /bɹɛd/ |
Transcriptions come from pronunciation lexicons IPAtics maintains, in US and UK English.
How to produce this sound
SoundOpen-mid front unrounded vowel.
TongueHold the tongue body at a mid height and avoid drifting up or down. Shape the tongue body toward the front of the mouth.
LipsKeep lips neutral or lightly spread; avoid accidental rounding.
JawUse a mid jaw opening and keep it steady.
VoiceKeep voicing continuous and even through the segment.
Minimal pairs
Each pair differs only in /ɛ/, so hearing them side by side isolates the sound.
- bed/ˈbɛd/bad/ˈbæd/
- pen/ˈpɛn/pan/ˈpæn/
- men/ˈmɛn/man/ˈmæn/
Spelling patterns
- e as in bed
- ea as in head
- ie as in friend
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