adjective — having a lot of money — 'a rich family' · 'rich in flavor'
mouth shape
short /ɪ/ — quick and clipped — then /tʃ/, like 'ch' in 'church'
rich
/rɪtʃ/
vowel length
plays as: “a rich family”
verb — to extend far enough to touch or arrive at something — 'reach the top shelf'
mouth shape
long /iː/ — lips stretch wide and hold — same /tʃ/ ending as rich
reach
/riːtʃ/
vowel length
plays as: “reach the top shelf”
Key difference
rich: short /ɪ/ — one quick, closed vowel — rhymes with: pitch, witch, stitch.
reach: long /iː/ — lips stretch wide and hold — rhymes with: peach, teach, beach.
Same /tʃ/ ending in both — only the vowel length changes.
Example sentences
rich:“Her family is very rich.”
reach:“Can you reach the top shelf for me?”
Hear it in the wild
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rich
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reach
Hear native speakers say “reach” in real sentences — news, lectures, and podcasts.
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How teachers explain this
Approved tips from the community, sorted by helpfulness
Word families
rich family ▸
reach family ▸
Related pairs
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