Decoding exercises: "erV" and "errV"

The sequence /rV/, where V is any vowel, can be spelled "er" (as in very) or "err" (as in merry).

The following table shows the sounds of "erV" and "errV" in a stressed syllable. Unstressed sounds (/ə/ and /ɪ/) are shown in the examples.

Common words

 * "er"
 * "e" as //: American, experiment, very
 * "e" as /ɪə/: atmosphere, criterion ( criteria), era, experience, hero, material, merely, period, series, serious, severe
 * "e" as /ɪ/: derive
 * "e" as /ə/: characteristic, consideration, dangerous, delivery, generate, generation, interaction, operate, operation, overall
 * varisyllabic words, "e" as /ə/ or silent: average, camera, considerable, different, federal, general, interest, liberal, literature, reference, several, temperature
 * Silent "e": every


 * "err"
 * As //: error, terrible, terrorist

Less common words

 * "er"
 * "e" as //: austerity, ceremony, cherish, clerical, derelict, derivation, dexterity, herald, heresy, heritage, heroism, heron, hysterical, imperative, inherit, merit, numeric, peril, perilous, perish, posterity, prosperity, severity, sheriff, sincerity, sterile, therapy, verify, verification
 * "e" as /ɪ/: derogatory, eradicate, erect, erosion, erotic, eruption
 * "e" as /ɪə/: bacteria, cereal, coherence, periodic, sphere
 * "e" as /ə/: acceleration, adulterate, illiterate
 * "e" as /iː/: rerun


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

Proper nouns

 * "er"
 * "e" as //: Derek, Eric, Gerald
 * "e" as /ɪə/: Algeria, Nigeria
 * "e" as /ə/: Cameroon, Peru, Theresa
 * "e" as /ə/ or silent: Catherine


 * "err"
 * "e" as //: Jerry, Kerry

Variant pronunciations

 * "e" as /, ɪə/: spherical, stereo
 * "e" as /, ɜː/: deterrent