Trigraph (3 letters, 1 sound)
The "ear" sound — /ear/
As in hear. Tap play to hear the sound, see the mouth shape, and learn 5 words to practice.
Mouth shape
'ee' then add 'r'
Gesture
Cup hand to ear saying ear-ear-ear
Example words
- hear
- near
- fear
- dear
- year
How to teach the “ear” sound
- Hear it first. Tap Play three times. Have your child watch your mouth while you copy the sound — no letter name yet, just the pure sound /ear/.
- Do the gesture. Cup hand to ear saying ear-ear-ear— kids remember sounds 2× faster when there’s a physical action attached.
- Find it in words. Read the 5 example words aloud slowly, stretching the /ear/ sound: “h–e–a–r”.
- Spot it around the house. “Can you find something that starts with /ear/?” Aim for 3 wins in a row before stopping.
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ABC Phonics — Sounds for Kids