Sheer? — Choose the option that rhymes with the given word

Analyze the question: You are asked to find the word that rhymes with "sheer". Rhyme depends on sound, not spelling, so we compare the vowel and ending sounds.

Explain the concept: Words rhyme when their final stressed vowel sound and the sounds after it match. "Sheer" is pronounced /ʃɪə/ (or /ʃɪr/), so the rhyming part is "-eer" (/ɪə/).

Solution: Check each option.

• A. sheila is /ˈʃiːlə/. It has a different ending and is two syllables, so it does not rhyme.
• B. care is /keə/. It looks similar because of the "-re" ending, but the vowel is /eə/ (as in "air"), not /ɪə/. It does not rhyme.
• C. ear is /ɪə/ (or /ɪr/). This matches the "-eer" sound of "sheer". It rhymes.
• D. sherry is /ˈʃeri/. It is two syllables and ends differently, so it does not rhyme.

Answer: C. ear

Tip: In rhyme questions, ignore spelling and say the words aloud. Words like "care" and "sheer" look alike but sound different. Also, a one-syllable word usually rhymes with a one-syllable word, so you can often eliminate two-syllable options like "sheila" and "sherry" quickly. Other words with the same sound as "sheer" are "beer", "deer", "fear", "here" and "tear" (the one from the eye).