是中央母音、長母音。發音時嘴唇放鬆，自然張開，非圓唇型。舌面中升高，但未碰觸口腔內其它部位。
母音 [ɝ] 發音的拼讀方式有下列幾種可能性：
u
＜-er-＞：nerve [nɝv], serve [sɝv], term [tɝm]
v
＜-ear-＞：earl [ɝl], pearl [pɝl], yearn [jɝn]
w
＜-ir-＞：bird [bɝd], first [fɝst], girl [gɝl]
x
＜-or-＞：word [wɝd], worship [´wɝʃɪp]
y
＜-our-＞：courteous [´kɝtjəs], journal [´ʤɝnl̩]
z
＜-ur-＞：burn [bɝn], church [ʧɝʧ], nurse [nɝs]
{
＜-urr-＞：current [´kɝənt], hurricane [´hɝɪken]