AI

The letter combination ai represents the sound /eɪ/.
It's typically found in words of French origin, but also a few Germanic as well.

E.g.
drain, gain, pain, rain, stain, slain
animator -> animaitor /ˈænɪˌmeɪɾər/
demonstrator -> demonstraitor /ˈdɛmənˌstreɪɾər/

The stress is always on "ai" whenever the letters "gn" follow
complaint -> complaignt /kəmˈpleɪnt/
campaign /kæmˈpeɪn/
champaign, champagne -> ciampaign /ʃæmˈpeɪn/

Verb forms will have a silent e at the end
to say -> ta saie /tə seɪ/
to pay -> ta paie /tə peɪ/
to stay -> ta staie /tə steɪ/
to play -> ta plaie /tə pleɪ/
(The noun forms become -ay: say, pay, stay, play)


When ai is followed by the letter -r, the combination is always pronounced as /ɛr/.
E.g.
to care -> ta caire /tə kɛr/
to pair -> ta paire /tə pɛr/
to compare -> ta compaire /tə kəmˈpɛr/
to share -> ta shaire /tə ʃɛr/
stairs /stɛrz/