Sound /iː/

How to pronounce /iː/

/iː/ is a long, tense vowel — the vowel you hear in see, meet, key and machine.

Mouth shape

• Spread your lips wide, as if you're smiling for a photo.
• Raise the front of your tongue high, close to the roof of the mouth (but don't touch it).
• Keep the jaw fairly closed and the tongue muscles tense.

Length and tone

• Hold the sound noticeably long: "iiii".
• The pitch stays steady and clear from start to finish.

Common pitfalls

• Don't let the sound go slack halfway through — it should stay bright and tense the whole time.
• Avoid rounding the lips; this is a smiling vowel, not a kissing one.
• Don't shorten it, or it will collapse into /ɪ/ and change the word's meaning.

Example words

see, tree, cheese, people, believe, machine.

Tip: Smile while you say it — a real smile naturally puts your mouth in the right position!