Editing English orthography (section)

=== Combinations of vowel letters and ⟨r⟩ ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! colspan="3" | Spelling || Major value<br />([[Help:IPA/English|IPA]]) || Examples of major value || Minor values<br />([[Help:IPA/English|IPA]]) || Examples of minor value || Exceptions
|-
| rowspan="6" |'''ar'''
| rowspan="3" |before a vowel
|next syllable contains {{nowrap|{{IPAc-en|ɪ|,_|ə}} within the same morpheme}} || {{IPAc-en|ær}} || app'''ar'''ent, '''ar'''id, gu'''ar'''antee, m'''ar'''iners, p'''ar'''ish || {{IPAc-en|ɛər}} || p'''ar'''ent, g'''ar'''ish ||
|-
| followed by a morpheme boundary || {{IPAc-en|ɛər}} || c'''ar'''er, sc'''ar'''y, sh'''ar'''ing, r'''ar'''ity || {{IPAc-en|ær}}<br />{{IPAc-en|ɑːr}} || comp'''ar'''able, comp'''ar'''ative<br />f'''ar'''away, ts'''ar'''ist ||
|-
|otherwise
|| {{IPAc-en|ɛər}} || '''ar'''ea, c'''ar'''e, ph'''ar'''oah, v'''ar'''y, w'''ar'''iness || {{IPAc-en|ɑːr}} || '''ar'''ia, '''ar'''e, saf'''ar'''is  || {{IPAc-en|ɒr}} qu'''ar'''antine, w'''ar'''atah
|-
| rowspan="3" |elsewhere ||stressed || {{IPAc-en|ɑːr}} || '''ar'''gyle, c'''ar''', f'''ar'''ce || || || {{IPAc-en|ɛər}} sc'''ar'''ce<br />{{IPAc-en|ær}} s'''ar'''saparilla&nbsp;<small>(GA)</small><br />{{IPAc-en|ɜːr}} dh'''ar'''na
|-
|after {{IPAc-en|w}}
|{{IPAc-en|ɔːr}}
|w'''ar''', aw'''ar'''d, dw'''ar'''f, w'''ar'''ning, qu'''ar'''ter
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|-
| unstressed || {{IPAc-en|ər}} || circul'''ar''', pill'''ar''' || || ||
|-
| colspan="3" | '''aer'''|| {{IPAc-en|ɛər}} || '''aer'''ial, '''aer'''oplane || {{IPAc-en|ɪər}} || chim'''aer'''a || {{IPAc-en|ər}} an'''aer'''obe
|-
| colspan="3" | '''air'''|| {{IPAc-en|ɛər}} || c'''air'''n, million'''air'''e, d'''air'''y || || || {{IPAc-en|aɪər}} het'''air'''a<br />{{IPAc-en|aɪ|'|ɪər}} z'''air'''e
|-
| colspan="3" | '''aor'''|| {{IPAc-en|eɪ|'|ɔːr}}|| '''aor'''ta|| {{IPAc-en|aʊ|.|r}}<br />{{IPAc-en|ɔːr}}|| M'''aor'''i<br />extr'''aor'''dinary ||
|-
| rowspan="2" | '''arr'''
| colspan="2" |before a spoken vowel || {{IPAc-en|ær}} || m'''arr'''y, b'''arr'''el, '''arr'''ow, b'''arr'''en, c'''arr'''ot || {{IPAc-en|ɑːr}} || st'''arr'''y, b'''arr'''ing ||
|-
| colspan="2" |elsewhere || {{IPAc-en|ɑːr}} ||sc'''arr'''ed, P'''arr''' || || ||
|-
| colspan="3" | '''aur'''|| {{IPAc-en|ɔːr}}|| dinos'''aur''', '''aur'''al, '''aur'''a, L'''aur'''a || {{IPAc-en|ɒr}}|| l'''aur'''el, L'''aur'''ence ||
|-
| colspan="3" | '''awer'''|| {{IPAc-en|ɔː|.|ər}}|| gn'''awer''', r'''awer''', th'''awer'''|| || || {{IPAc-en|ɔːr}} dr'''awer'''
|-
| colspan="3" | '''ayer''', '''ayor'''|| {{IPAc-en|eɪ|.|ər}} || l'''ayer''', m'''ayor''', sooths'''ayer'''|| || ||
|-
| rowspan="3" |'''er'''
| colspan="2" |before a vowel|| {{IPAc-en|ɪər}} || h'''er'''e, s'''er'''ies, qu'''er'''y, m'''er'''ely || {{IPAc-en|ɛər}}<br />{{IPAc-en|ɛr}}<br />{{IPAc-en|iː|'|r}}|| comp'''er'''e, th'''er'''e, w'''er'''ewolf<br />d'''er'''elict, h'''er'''esy, p'''er'''ish, v'''er'''y<br />d'''er'''ail, r'''er'''emind || {{IPAc-en|ɜːr}} w'''er'''e, w'''er'''egild
|-
| rowspan="2" |elsewhere
|stressed|| {{IPAc-en|ɜːr}} || h'''er''', j'''er'''k, co'''er'''ced, m'''er'''chant || {{IPAc-en|ɛər}} || b'''er'''ceuse || {{IPAc-en|ɑːr}} cl'''er'''k, s'''er'''geant<br />
|-
|unstressed
|{{IPAc-en|ər}}
|start'''er''', few'''er''', Berb'''er''', argu'''er''', show'''er'''
|{{IPAc-en|eɪ}} (or {{IPAc-en|ər}})
|dossi'''er''', foy'''er'''
|
|-
| rowspan="3" |'''ear'''
| rowspan="2" | before a consonant || before a morpheme boundary || {{IPAc-en|ɪər}} || d'''ear'''ly, f'''ear'''less, t'''ear'''ful, y'''ear'''ling || {{IPAc-en|ɛər}} || b'''ear'''skin, sw'''ear'''word || {{IPAc-en|ɜːr}} h'''ear'''d
|-
| elsewhere || {{IPAc-en|ɜːr}} || p'''ear'''ly, h'''ear'''se, y'''ear'''ning, '''ear'''th || {{IPAc-en|ɑːr}} || h'''ear'''ken, h'''ear'''ty, h'''ear'''th || {{IPAc-en|ɪər}} b'''ear'''d, p'''ear'''t <br />{{IPAc-en|eɪ|.|ər}} b'''ear'''naise<br />{{IPAc-en|i|'|ɑːr}} r'''ear'''m
|-
| colspan="2" |elsewhere|| {{IPAc-en|ɪər}} || f'''ear''',  y'''ear''', app'''ear''', h'''ear'''ing, || {{IPAc-en|ɛər}} <br />{{IPAc-en|iː|.|ər}}|| p'''ear''', b'''ear'''ish, w'''ear'''ing <br />lin'''ear''', nucl'''ear''', st'''ear'''in||  <!--derived term--><br />{{IPAc-en|iː|'|r}} t'''ear'''oom
|-
| colspan="3" | '''eer'''|| {{IPAc-en|ɪər}} || ch'''eer'''ing, b'''eer''', '''eer'''{{not a typo|ie}} || {{IPAc-en|iː|ər}} || fr'''eer''', s'''eer'''s ||
|-
| colspan="3" | '''eir'''|| {{IPAc-en|ɛər}} || h'''eir''', mad'''eir'''a, th'''eir''' || {{IPAc-en|ɪər}} || w'''eir'''d, w'''eir''', '''eyr'''ie || {{IPAc-en|aɪər}} on'''eir'''ic, '''eir'''enic
|-
| colspan="3" | '''eor'''|| {{IPAc-en|i|ɔːr}}|| d'''eor'''bit, r'''eor'''ganise || {{IPAc-en|ɪər}}|| th'''eor'''y
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|-
| rowspan="2" | '''err'''
| colspan="2" |before a spoken vowel || {{IPAc-en|ɛr}} || '''err'''or, m'''err'''y, t'''err'''ible, h'''err'''ing, f'''err'''et || {{IPAc-en|ɜːr}} || ref'''err'''ing ||
|-
| colspan="2" |elsewhere || {{IPAc-en|ɜːr}} ||'''err''', pref'''err'''ed || || ||
|-
| rowspan="2" |'''eur'''
| colspan="2" |after {{IPAc-en|r|,_|ʃ|,_|ʒ|,_|j}}, cons. + {{IPAc-en|l}}
|{{IPAc-en|ʊər}}
|pl'''eur'''isy
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|-
| colspan="2" |elsewhere || {{IPAc-en|j|ʊər}} || '''eur'''o, liqu'''eur''', n'''eur'''al|| {{IPAc-en|ɜːr}} || mass'''eur''', voy'''eur''' || {{IPAc-en|iː|.|ɜːr}} th'''eur'''gy
|-
| rowspan="5" |'''ir'''
| rowspan="2" |before a spoken vowel
| usually || {{IPAc-en|aɪr}} || p'''ir'''ate, v'''ir'''us, '''ir'''is, sp'''ir'''al || {{IPAc-en|ɪr}} || m'''ir'''age, v'''ir'''ile, '''ir'''idescent, sp'''ir'''it ||
|-
| derived from a word with silent {{angbr|e}} following || {{IPAc-en|aɪər}} || w'''ir'''able, asp'''ir'''ing || ||  ||
|-
| colspan="2" |before silent {{angbr|e}}|| {{IPAc-en|aɪər}} || h'''ir'''e, f'''ir'''es, m'''ir'''ed  || ||  ||
|-
| rowspan="2" |elsewhere
|stressed|| {{IPAc-en|ɜːr}} || b'''ir'''d, f'''ir''' || || || {{IPAc-en|ɪər}} menh'''ir'''
|-
|unstressed
|{{IPAc-en|ər}}
|elix'''ir''', kef'''ir''', triumv'''ir'''
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|-
| colspan="3" | '''ier'''|| {{IPAc-en|ɪər}} || cash'''ier''', f'''ier'''ce, front'''ier''', p'''ier'''|| {{IPAc-en|aɪər}} <br />{{IPAc-en|i|ər}}|| sh'''ier''', f'''ier'''y, h'''ier'''archy, pl'''ier'''<br />bus'''ier''', rap'''ier''', glac'''ier''', hos'''ier'''y
|| {{IPAc-en|i|.|ɛər}} conc'''ier'''ge, prem'''ier'''e<br />{{IPAc-en|i|eɪ}} atel'''ier''', bust'''ier''', doss'''ier'''<br />{{IPAc-en|iː|ər}} sk'''ier'''
|-
| rowspan="2" | '''irr'''
| colspan="2" |before a spoken vowel || {{IPAc-en|ɪr}} || m'''irr'''or, squ'''irr'''el, c'''irr'''us, t'''irr'''et || {{IPAc-en|ɜːr}}|| st'''irr'''er ||
|-
| colspan="2" |elsewhere || {{IPAc-en|ɜːr}} || wh'''irr'''ed || || ||
|-
| rowspan="3" |'''or'''
| colspan="2" |after {{Vr|w}}|| {{IPAc-en|ɜːr}} || w'''or'''d, w'''or'''k, w'''or'''st || {{IPAc-en|ɔːr}} ||w'''or'''n, sw'''or'''d, sw'''or'''e ||
|-
| rowspan="2" |elsewhere
|stressed|| {{IPAc-en|ɔːr}} || f'''or'''d, b'''or'''ing, m'''or'''e || {{IPAc-en|ɒr}} || f'''or'''est, m'''or'''al<!-- not distinct in GA-->|| {{IPAc-en|ɜːr}} wh'''or'''l<br />{{IPAc-en|ʌr}} b'''or'''ough<br />∅ comf'''or'''table
|-
|unstressed
|{{IPAc-en|ər}}
|gladiat'''or''', maj'''or''', equat'''or'''
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|-
| colspan="3" | '''oar'''|| {{IPAc-en|ɔːr}} || b'''oar''', c'''oar'''se, keyb'''oar'''d, s'''oar'''ing || || || {{IPAc-en|ər}} cupb'''oar'''d, starb'''oar'''d<br />{{IPAc-en|oʊ|ˈ|ɑːr}} c'''oar'''ctate
|-
| colspan="3" | '''oer'''|| {{IPAc-en|oʊ|.|ər}}|| partyg'''oer''', forg'''oer''' || {{IPAc-en|uː|.|ər}}|| und'''oer''', can'''oer''' ||{{IPAc-en|ɜːr}} '''oer'''sted
|-
| colspan="3" | '''oir'''|| {{IPAc-en|w|ɑːr}} || reserv'''oir''', mem'''oir''', m'''oir'''e, s'''oir'''ee || {{IPAc-en|ɔɪər}} || c'''oir''', l'''oir''', M'''oir'''a || {{IPAc-en|w|aɪər}} ch'''oir'''<br />{{IPAc-en|ər}} av'''oir'''dupois
|-
| colspan="3" | '''oor'''|| {{IPAc-en|ʊər}}|| p'''oor''', m'''oor''', b'''oor'''ish, r'''oor'''back || {{IPAc-en|ɔːr}}|| d'''oor''', fl'''oor'''ing || {{IPAc-en|ər}} whipp'''oor'''will<br />{{IPAc-en|oʊ|'|ɔːr}} c'''oor'''dinate
|-
| rowspan="3" |'''orr'''
| rowspan="2" | stressed || after {{Vr|w}}|| {{IPAc-en|ʌr}} || w'''orr'''y || || ||
|-
| elsewhere|| {{IPAc-en|ɒr}} ||h'''orr'''id, p'''orr'''idge, t'''orr'''ent, c'''orr'''elate|| {{IPAc-en|ɒr}} {{small|(RP)}}, {{IPAc-en|ɑːr}} {{small|(GA)}} || b'''orr'''ow, s'''orr'''y || {{IPAc-en|ɔːr}} And'''orr'''a
|-
| colspan="2" | unstressed || {{IPAc-en|ər}} || c'''orr'''ect, c'''orr'''upt, haem'''orr'''hage, h'''orr'''ific || || ||
|-
|rowspan=2| '''our'''
| colspan="2" |stressed||{{IPAc-en|ɔːr}} || f'''our''', c'''our'''tesan, disc'''our'''se || {{IPAc-en|aʊər}}<br />{{IPAc-en|ɜːr}}<br />{{IPAc-en|ʊər}}|| h'''our''', fl'''our''', sc'''our'''s<br />j'''our'''ney, c'''our'''tesy, sc'''our'''ge<br />t'''our''', c'''our'''ier, g'''our'''d, vel'''our'''|| {{IPAc-en|ʌr}} c'''our'''age, fl'''our'''ish
|-
| colspan="2" |unstressed|| {{IPAc-en|ər}} || lab'''our''', col'''our'''ful || {{IPAc-en|ʊr}}<br />{{IPAc-en|ʊər}}|| ent'''our'''age, potp'''our'''ri <br />det'''our''', f'''our'''chette
|-
| rowspan="4" |'''ur'''
| rowspan="2" |before a vowel
|elsewhere || {{IPAc-en|j|ʊər}}|| l'''ur'''e, p'''ur'''ity, c'''ur'''ing || {{IPAc-en|ʊər}}|| all'''ur'''e, g'''ur'''u, Sil'''ur'''ian || {{IPAc-en|ɛr}} b'''ur'''y, b'''ur'''ial
|-
|after {{IPAc-en|r|,_|ʃ|,_|ʒ|,_|j}}, cons. + {{IPAc-en|l}} || {{IPAc-en|ʊər}}|| r'''ur'''al, j'''ur'''y, pl'''ur'''al, s'''ur'''e, ass'''ur'''ance, all'''ur'''e || || ||
|-
| rowspan="2" |elsewhere
|stressed|| {{IPAc-en|ɜːr}} || t'''ur'''n, occ'''ur''', c'''ur'''dle || {{IPAc-en|ʌr}} || || {{IPAc-en|ʊər}} lang'''ur'''
|-
|unstressed
|{{IPAc-en|ər}}
|sulph'''ur''', jodhp'''ur''', bulg'''ur''', murm'''ur'''
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|-
| rowspan="2" | '''urr'''
| colspan="2" |before a spoken vowel || {{IPAc-en|ʌr}} || c'''urr'''ent, h'''urr'''y, fl'''urr'''y, b'''urr'''ow, t'''urr'''et || {{IPAc-en|ɜːr}} || f'''urr'''y, bl'''urr'''ing ||
|-
| colspan="2" |elsewhere || {{IPAc-en|ɜːr}} || b'''urr''', bl'''urr'''ed || || ||
|-
| rowspan="6" |'''yr'''


|-
| rowspan="2" |before a spoken vowel  ||
*bef. 2+ unstressed syllables
* next syllable contains {{IPAc-en|ɪ}}
|{{IPAc-en|ɪr}}
|s'''yr'''up, P'''yr'''enees, l'''yr'''ic, p'''yr'''amid, S'''yr'''ia, m'''y'''riad, s'''yr'''inge, t'''yr'''anny, p'''yr'''rhic || || ||
|-
| elsewhere || {{IPAc-en|aɪr}} || t'''yr'''ant, g'''yr'''ate, p'''yr'''otechnic, th'''yr'''oid || || ||
|-
| colspan="2" |before silent {{angbr|e}} || {{IPAc-en|aɪər}} || l'''yr'''e, p'''yr'''e, t'''yr'''es, g'''yr'''ed || || ||
|-
| rowspan="2" |elsewhere
|stressed|| {{IPAc-en|ɜːr}} || m'''yr'''tle, m'''yr'''rh || || ||
|-
|unstressed
|{{IPAc-en|ər}}
|mart'''yr'''
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|}