Decoding exercises: "err"

The letter E in the sequence "err" normally sounds // in Received Pronunciation (as in ferry) or /ə/ when unstressed (as in terrific). In derived words it sounds /ɜː/ (as in preferred).

In the United States /r/ often sounds /r/. General American merges these two phonemes. See Mary-marry-merry merger.

Common words

 * As //: error - terrible - terror - terrorist - territory
 * As /ɜː/: preferred - preferring

Less common words

 * As //: berry - cherry - errand - ferret - ferry - herring - interrogate - merry - sherry
 * As /ɪ/: erratic - erroneous
 * As /ə/: aberration - extraterrestrial - interrupt - interruption - interrogative - subterranean - terrific
 * As /ɜː/: deferred - deferring - deterred - deterring - inferred - inferring - referral - referred - referring - transferred - transferring

Variant pronunciations

 * err /ɜːr, r/ - erred /ɜːrd, rd/ - erring /ɜːrɪŋ, rɪŋ/
 * As /ə/, //: blackberry - blueberry - cranberry - raspberry - strawberry
 * As //, /ɜː/: deterrent

/r.r/
Note that in Received Pronunciation only one /r/ is pronounced.
 * As /ər.r/: overrate - override - underrate

Proper nouns

 * As //: Jerry - Terrence