Decoding exercises: "irV", "yrV", "irrV" and "yrrV"

The sequence /ɪrV/, where V is any vowel, can be spelled "ir,” "yr,” "irr" and "yrr.”

The following table shows the sounds of these four combinations in a stressed syllable. Unstressed sounds (/ə/ and /ɪ/) are shown in the examples.

	"ir"	"yr"	"irr"	"yrr"
/ɪ/	spirit	tyranny	mirror	Pyrrhic
/ɜːr/			stirring	myrrhic
/aɪr/	spiral	thyroid	N/A	N/A
/aɪər/	hiring		N/A	N/A

Common words

"ir"

• "i" as /ɪ/: spirit
• "i" as /aɪ/: virus
• "i" as /aɪə/: iron
• "i" as /ɜː/ stirring

"irr"

• "i" as /ɪ/: mirror

Less common words

"ir" or "yr"

• "i" as /ɪ/: conspiracy, delirious, miracle, mirage, satiric, spirit
• "y" as /ɪ/: lyric, pyramid, syringe, tyranny
• "i" as /aɪ/: irate, Irish, ironic, irony, pirate, siren
• "y" as /aɪ/: gyrate, thyroid, tyrant
• "i" as /aɪə/: admirer, desirable, firearm
• "i" as /ə/: admirable, admiral, giraffe

ening in “ation": admiration, aspiration, expiration, inspiration, perspiration

• enquiry/inquiry

spelling: normally enquiry,^BrE inquiry^AmE

pronunciation: /ɪnˈkwaɪəri/^{BrE AmE} /ˈɪnkwəri/^AmE

"irr"

• "i" as /ɪ/: irrational, irrefutable, irregular, irrelevant, irreparable, irresistible, irrigation, irritation

Proper nouns

• "i" or "y" as /ɪ/: Iran, Iraq, Miranda, Syria
• "i" or "y" as /aɪ/: Byron

Variant pronunciations

• /ɪr/ or /aɪr/: direct - direction - director - directory
• environment /ɪnˈvaɪrənmənt/, /ɪnˈvaɪərnmənt/; also /enˈvaɪrənmənt/,^AmE /enˈvaɪərnmənt/^AmE
• /ɪr/,^BrE /ɜːr/^AmE: squirrel
• /ɪr/,^{BrE AmE} /ɜːr/^AmE: syrup

Table "ir" and "irr"

	"ir, yr"	"irr"
/ɪr/	spirit	mirror
/ɜːr/	N/A	"irr" only sounds /ɜːr/ in derived forms: stirring
/aɪr/	spiral, virus	N/A
/aɪər/	admirer, hiring	N/A

See also

• Decoding the letter I
• Decoding the letter R
• Decoding exercises: "ir"
• Decoding exercises: "irr"