WHAT IS the schwa sound in pencil and stencil?

The schwa sound is represented by the symbol ə and is often described as a short, unstressed "uh" sound.

In the words "pencil" and "stencil," the schwa sound occurs in the following syllables:

* Pencil: The "e" in "pen" has the schwa sound.

* Stencil: The "e" in "sten" has the schwa sound.

So, the schwa sound is present in both words, but it's in different syllables.