The /iː/ Vowel (FLEECE)
/iː/
/iː/ is a front close unrounded vowel. It is a long monophthong, so it keeps one steady quality.
Example Words
| Word | UK | US | |
|---|---|---|---|
| see | /siː/ | /siː/ | Syllables · Pronounce |
| meat | /miːt/ | /miːt/ | Syllables · Pronounce |
| key | /kiː/ | /kiː/ | Syllables · Pronounce |
Distinctive Features
/iː/ is told apart from every other English sound by two distinctive features.
Allophones Of /iː/
/iː/ has 2 allophones in the app, starting with [iˑ], a long vowel is shorter before a voiceless consonant. The full list, where each occurs and the examples are in Allophones, which opens with any course or with Adroit Plus.
Words With The /iː/ Sound
/iː/ At The Start Of A Word
- eat
- eel
- ego
- eid
- eon
- aeon
- each
- ease
- east
- easy
- even
- evil
- eager
- eagle
- eaten
- edict
- epoch
- equal
- easier
- easily
- easter
- easiest
- eastern
- equally
- evening
- oestrus
- economic
- eolithic
- aesthetic
/iː/ In The Middle Of A Word
- bean
- beat
- beef
- beep
- chic
- deal
- deed
- deem
- deep
- feed
- feel
- feet
- gene
- heal
- heap
- heat
- heel
- keel
- keen
- keep
- kiwi
- leaf
- leak
- lean
- leap
- meal
- mean
- meat
- meek
- meet
/iː/ At The End Of A Word
- bee
- fee
- key
- pea
- sea
- see
- ski
- tea
- brie
- flee
- free
- glee
- knee
- plea
- quay
- tree
- agree
- algae
- spree
- three
- debris
- decree
- degree
- goatee
- lychee
- oversee
- referee
- refugee
- spondee
- trochee
Minimal Pairs
Questions Students Ask
How do you describe the vowel /iː/?
/iː/ is a front close unrounded vowel.
Which words have the /iː/ sound?
For example see, meat, key.