LISTEN
listen_to_schwa-r.mp3
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/ər/.../ər/.../ər/.../ər/...

mother...surprise...prettier...standard

WHAT IS IT?
Pronunciation:
The sound /ər/ is a high, central, lax vowel. It is a reduced vowel, which means it is shorter and quicker than other vowels and only appears in unstressed syllables, or some function words. (See /ə/.) 
  • Your lips should be relaxed and slightly open, not rounded or spread.
  • Raise your tongue so that the sides of your tongue touch your upper teeth. The center of your tongue should be lower than the sides.
  • Breathe out, and let your vocal cords vibrate. Pronounce the vowel quickly and softly.

Spelling:
  • "er" - mother, perform
  • "ar" - grammar, forward
  • "ir" - direction, confirmation
  • "or" - comfort, forget
  • "ur" - surprise, natural
  • "ure" - culture, temperature

Grammar Tip:
The sound /ər/ is used in the suffixes "-er", "-ar," and "-or." These suffixes are used in words to mean "a person who does something." Often, the suffix is added to a verb to change it to a noun.
grammar_schwa-r.mp3
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  • bake --> baker​
  • act --> actor
  • lie --> liar
  • calculate --> calculator​​

The suffix "-er" can also be added to adjectives. When "-er' is added to an adjective, it means "more...(than)."
grammar_schwa-r_2.mp3
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  • fast --> faster
  • thin --> thinner
  • pretty --> prettier​
  • friendly --> friendlier​

COMPARE
Compare /ər/ with /ɜr/:
compare_schwa-r_-_er_1.mp3
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/ər/.../ɜr/.../ər/.../ɜr/.../ər/.../ɜr/...

These are both high, central, lax vowels. However, /ər/ is a reduced vowel and /ɜr/ is a full vowel. This means that /ər/ is shorter and softer than /ɜr/.

Practice hearing the difference between /ər/ and /ɜr/ by taking this quiz.

​Compare Word Forms: ​
​A stressed syllable in a word may become unstressed (or vice versa) when a suffix is added to the word, which changes the word stress. Listen to these examples. Notice how the underlined full vowel becomes the reduced vowel /ər/ when the suffix is added.
compare_word_forms_with_schwa-r_1.mp3
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  • conserve --> conservation
  • urbanize --> urbanization​
  • infer --> inference

​Practice listening to words with /ər/ and with a full vowel by taking the quiz below.

PRACTICE
Listen and repeat these words:
words_with_schwa-r.mp3
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1. teacher
2. faster
​3. surprise
4. forget
5. percent
6. under​stand
7. wonderful
8. prettier
9. direction
10. interview
11. survival
12. performance
13. personality
14. conver​sation
15. natural
16. temperature
17. order
18. furthermore
19. inferior
20. error

​Now, practice /ər/ in sentences. Say the words first, then the sentences. (Remember that in a sentence, some function words will also have /ər/.)
sentences_with_schwa-r.mp3
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1. smarter - sister - harder 
I'm smarter than my sister, but she works harder.
2. understand - teacher's - directions
Did you understand the teacher's directions?
3. interrupt - her - conversation
Please don't interrupt her conversation.
4. interview - manager - yesterday
I had an interview with the manager yesterday.
5. pursued - order  - professor 
My friend pursued a graduate degree in order to to become a professor.
6. were - surprised - performance
​My parents were surprised by my performance.

To practice with different varieties of English, choose another native English speaker by clicking one of the links below:

USE IT!
​​Practice the task below. Then, record yourself completing that task. Give your recording to a teacher or an English-speaking friend for feedback.

​Prepare:
Look at the list of jobs. In your opinion, which jobs should receive the highest salary?​
  • Doctor
  • Lawyer
  • Garbage collector
  • Plumber​
  • Actor
  • Soldier
  • Business manager
  • Food service worker​
  • Firefighter
  • Elementary school teacher
  • Doctor
  • Lawyer
  • Garbage collector
  • Plumber​
  • Actor​
  • Soldier
  • Business manager
  • Food service worker​
  • Firefighter
  • Elementary school teacher

​Record:
In your recording, explain who should receive the highest salaries and who should receive the lowest salaries. Talk about at least 4 professions. Give reasons for your opinion.

©2018-2021, Christine Wingate