Home English Phonetics Academy American English Sounds - /iy/ - Front High Vowel

 The sound /iy/ is a high, front, tense vowel

How to pronounce the sound /iy/: A high, front, tense vowel

  • Lift your tongue to the top of your mouth.
  • Spread your lips wide, like a smile.
  • Tighten your tongue.
  • Breathe out to make the vowel.

Download english phonetics exercises audio
stressed_-iy-.mp3
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This vowel is usually stressed, as in these words:
  • freezer
  • eastern
  • reason
  • perceive

LISTEN
Download english phonetics exercises audio
listen_to_-iy-.mp3
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/iy/.../iy/.../iy/.../iy/...

see...keep...dream...busy...
 
 
Download english phonetics exercises audio
unstressed_-iy-.mp3
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However, /iy/ can also be unstressed. In an unstressed syllable, /iy/ is pronounced quickly and softly. This is most common at the end of a word.
  • lazy
  • very
  • quickly
  • windy

Spelling:
  • “ee” – beef, week
  • “ea” – each, reason
  • “ie” – believe, chief
  • “ei” – receive, seize
  • “i” – ski, taxi
  • “y” (unstressed) – busy, lovely
 
Grammar Tip:
An unstressed /iy/ is part of some suffixes.  
Download english phonetics exercises audio
grammar_-iy-_1.mp3
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The suffix "-ly" is common in adverbs.
  • quickly
  • nicely
  • readily
Download english phonetics exercises audio
grammar_-iy-_2.mp3
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The suffix “-y” is common in adjectives.
  • busy
  • pretty
  • ready
 
 

COMPARE
Compare /iy/ with /ɪ/:
Download english phonetics exercises audio
compare_iy-i_1.mp3
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/iy/.../ɪ/.../iy/.../ɪ/.../iy/.../ɪ/...

These are both high, front vowels. However, /ɪ/ is pronounced with a relaxed tongue and /iy/ is pronounced with a tightened tongue.

You can hear the difference between /iy/ and /ɪ/ in these words.
Download english phonetics exercises audio
compare_iy-i_words.mp3
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1. A. leased, B. list
2. A. read, B. rid
3. A. beat, B. bit
4. A. leave, B. live
5. A. teen, B. tin
6. A. steal, B. still
 
Now, compare /iy/ with /ey/:
/iy/…/ey/…/iy/…/ey/…/iy/…/ey/…

These are both front, tense vowels. However, /iy/ is pronounced with a high tongue and /ey/ is pronounced with a mid tongue.
Download english phonetics exercises audio
compare_iy-ey_1.mp3
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You can hear the difference between /iy/ and /ey/ in these words.
Download english phonetics exercises audio
compare_iy-ey_words.mp3
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1. A. see, B. say
2. A. meek, B. make
3. A. bees, B. bays
4. A. veal, B. veil
5. A. peer, B. pair
6. A. leader, B. later
 
 

PRACTICE
Listen and repeat these words:
Download english phonetics exercises audio
words_with_-iy-.mp3
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1. feed
2. leak
3. meat
4. keep
5. peace
6. freeze
7. least
8. seats
9. dream
10. teen
 
11. feel
12. dear
13. tiny
14. messy
15. easy
16. peanut
17. Easter
18. heated
19. medium
20. seemingly

Now, practice /iy/ in sentences. Say the words first, then the sentences.
Download english phonetics exercises audio
sentences_with_-iy-.mp3
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1. see – green – tree 
Do you see the green tree?
2. he - seemed – mean – easy 
He seemed to mean it was too easy
3. very - pleased – meet
I’m very pleased to meet you.
4. happy – receive – pretty - tee-shirt
I was happy to receive a pretty tee-shirt.
5. eat – meat – Easter
They eat special meat for Easter.
6. sleep – dream – easily 
When you sleep, do you dream easily?

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