The correct spelling of the phrase "were of family" is /wɜːr ɒv ˈfæmɪli/. The word "were" is the past tense of "are," pronounced as /wɜːr/. "of" is a preposition pronounced as /ɒv/, which connects the subject "were" to the noun "family," pronounced as /ˈfæmɪli/. It's important to spell words correctly to aid in clear communication, and using the correct phonetic transcription can help people understand how words are pronounced.