Ew

uː

crew /kruː/

juː

few /fjuː/

The sequence "ew" very reliably represents IPA phonetic sequence /juː/ or IPA phoneme /uː/, depending on the previous consonant. When "e" and "w" are in different syllables normally "e" is silent and "w" sounds /w/, as in "somewhere".

After /b, f, g, h, k, m, p, v/ "ew" sounds /juː/

• few - nephew - view

After /d, n, s, t, θ, z/ "ew" sounds /juː/^BrE or /uː/^AmE

• dew - knew - mildew - new - stew
• Always /juː/: Matthew

After /dʒ, l, r, ʃ, tʃ, ʒ/ "ew" sounds /uː/

• Andrew - chew - crew - drew - flew - grew - Jew - jewel - screw

Different syllables

• beware - elsewhere - framework - gateway - housewife - needlework - reward - somewhat - somewhere - typewriter

Spelling anomalies

• /əʊ/: sew - sewn

Homophones

• dew - due; flew - flu; knew - new;