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The /ɛ/ Sound Pronunciation Tool

This is the sound that stops you from asking for a “pan” when you need a “pen”. It’s the open, welcoming vowel in words like “friend” and “head”.

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Pronounce the word/phrase:

Overall Score

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Pending…
You said: “Your attempt will be shown here…”
Accuracy
0%
Pronunciation
0%
Fluency
0%
Completeness
0%
help
next
best
test
left
send
went
desk
sell
well
tell
head
dead
said
friend
spend
many
again
letter
never
seven
better
weather
measure
pleasure
heavy
ready
instead
breakfast
president
special
together
My best friend sent a letter.
Tell everyone to be ready by seven.
He never gets stressed when under pressure.
They already went ahead instead.
Let’s get together for breakfast again.
Prepare everyone for the next test.

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1 / 10

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Challenge Complete!

Here’s how you performed over 10 rounds:

Average Score: 0%

Shaping the Sound: Let Your Jaw Drop

Making the /ɛ/ sound is all about opening up. It’s more open than the /ɪ/ in “sit” but less wide than the /æ/ in “cat”. The key is a relaxed, gentle drop of the jaw.

1. JAW: Gently Dropped Let your jaw hang open naturally, creating space in your mouth.
2. LIPS & TONGUE: Relaxed Your lips are neutral, and the front of your tongue is in a low-to-mid position. No tension anywhere!

Where You’ll Find It: Common Spellings

Unlike some tricky vowels, the /ɛ/ sound usually appears in a few predictable places. Keep an eye out for these common letter patterns.

  • As a single ‘e’ in short words: bed, red, get
  • The ‘ea’ combination: head, bread, ready
  • The ‘ie’ in the word friend: friend

The Pen/Pan Trap: /ɛ/ vs /æ/

This is a classic trap for learners. The only difference is how much you open your mouth vertically (jaw drop). For /ɛ/ your mouth is mid-open; for /æ/ (as in “cat”) it’s wide open.

/ɛ/ (Mid Open)

Relaxed Jaw Drop

pen
→

/æ/ (Wide Open)

Smile & Wide Jaw Drop

pan

The “Check the Jaw” Trick

Place a finger on your chin and say “pin” (/ɪ/). Now say “pen” (/ɛ/). You should feel your jaw drop slightly. Now say “pan” (/æ/). You should feel it drop even more. This physical feedback is the best way to know if you’re making the sound correctly.