/e/ — choose the word that contains the sound represented by the given phonetic symbol

Analyze the question: You are asked to find the word containing the vowel sound /e/. This is the short "e" sound, as in bed, pen, head.

Explain the concept: /e/ is a short vowel. Don't confuse it with:

• /eɪ/ as in day, bite's neighbour sounds
• /eə/ as in air, care
• /iː/ as in see

Check each option:

• A. bite → /baɪt/. The vowel is the diphthong /aɪ/. Not /e/.
• B. leave → /liːv/. The vowel is the long /iː/. Not /e/.
• C. spare → /speə/. The vowel is the diphthong /eə/. It starts with an "e"-like sound but is a gliding sound, not the pure short /e/. Not correct.
• D. heaven → /ˈhevn/. The "ea" is pronounced as a short /e/, just like in bed. This contains /e/.

Answer: D. heaven

Tip: The spelling "ea" can be pronounced in different ways. In leave it is /iː/, but in heaven, head, bread, health and weather it is the short /e/. When you see /e/ in a question, look for these "ea" exceptions. Also remember that /e/ is a pure, short vowel, so any word with a gliding sound (like /eə/ in spare) is a trap.