What are R-Controlled Vowels?
R-controlled vowels are vowels that are followed by the letter “r” in a word, but the “r” itself doesn’t necessarily make its usual sound. Instead, the combination of the vowel and “r” creates a new vowel sound.
How it works:
| R-controlled Vowels | Sounds Like | Definition | Examples |
| “ar” | Pirate “arrrr” sound | This sound is written in several ways, but all involve “ar.” | car, star, farm, park, sharp |
| “er”, “ir” & “ur” | “er” sound like in bird | These three spellings all create the same vowel sound. | her, bird, shirt, turn, fur, nurse, first |
| “or” | Pirate “arrrr” sound | Sounds same as “ar” but the spelling is “or” | for, porch, scorch |
| variable | it can have a different sound altogether, depending on the word. | corn, store, doctor | |
| Silent “r” | In some R-controlled vowel words, the “r” is silent. | This often happens at the end of a word | door, poor, roar |
| Exceptions | Variation in sound | A few words with “ar” or “or” might not follow the typical R-controlled vowel sounds. | care, where, borrow |
How it works:
| R-controlled Vowels | Definition |
| “ar” |
Sounds Like: Pirate “arrrr” sound This sound is written in several ways, but all involve “ar.” Eg: car, star, farm, park, sharp |
| “er”, “ir” & “ur” |
Sounds Like: “er” sound like in bird These three spellings all create the same vowel sound. Eg: her, bird, shirt, turn, fur, nurse, first |
| “or” |
Sounds Like: Pirate “arrrr” sound Sounds same as “ar” but the spelling is “or” Eg: for, porch, scorch
|
|
Sounds Like: variable it can have a different sound altogether, depending on the word. Eg: corn, store, doctor |
|
| Silent “r” |
Sounds Like: In some R-controlled vowel words, the “r” is silent. This often happens at the end of a word Eg: door, poor, roar |
| Exceptions |
Sounds Like: Variation in sound A few words with “ar” or “or” might not follow the typical R-controlled vowel sounds. Eg: care, where, borrow |
Additional Points:
- Silent “r”: In some R-controlled vowel words, the “r” is silent. This often happens at the end of a word. Examples: door, poor, roar
- Exceptions: As with many things in English, there are always exceptions! A few words with “ar” or “or” might not follow the typical R-controlled vowel sounds. Examples: care, where, borrow
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