Minimal pairs: /iː/ and /ɪə/

Ex. 1 Look at the following words containing the vowel /iː/ and find their counterparts containing the diphthong /ɪə/.

be/bee, bead, dee, E, fee, he, knee, me, pea, tea/tee, we, ye

Ex. 2 In each group of words find the one which does not contain the diphthong /ɪə/.

a. friar, career, superior, sphere

b. dearest, bear, King Lear, Caribbean

c. pianist, leer, foreign, area

d. misdemeanour, we're, gear, nearer

e. pier, peer, pear, beer

KEY

1. beer, beard, dear/deer, ear, fear, hear, near, mere, pier, tear (eye), we're/weir, year

2. a. friar, b. bear, c. foreign, d. misdemeanour, e. pear