/eə/

The /eə/ sound in English is a centering diphthong, which means it’s a complex vowel sound that starts with one vowel (/e/ as in ‘bed’) and transitions to the schwa /ə/ (as in ‘about’) within the same syllable. Here’s how you pronounce it:

• Position your mouth and tongue: For the /eə/ sound, your mouth should initially be semi-open (for the /e/ part), with the front of your tongue in the middle of your mouth. As the sound transitions to /ə/, your mouth remains semi-open and your tongue stays in the middle of your mouth.
• Voicing: The /eə/ sound is a voiced vowel, meaning your vocal cords vibrate when you produce this sound. You should feel a vibration if you lightly touch the front of your throat while saying the sound.
• Release the sound: With your mouth and tongue in the correct positions, let your breath flow out over your tongue and through your mouth. As you make the sound, smoothly transition from the /e/ position to the /ə/ position. The vocal cords vibrate to produce the /eə/ sound.