In English, there are 5 vowels that are considered “r controlled vowels”. These are vowels that are modified and controlled in their pronunciation by an r that follows them. The 5 r controlled vowels are:
- ar as in car
- er as in her
- ir as in bird
- or as in for
- ur as in turn
When a vowel is followed by an r, the r changes the vowel’s sound. The mouth shape and tongue position needed to pronounce the r modifies how the vowel is produced. As a result, r controlled vowels have a sound that is neither a pure vowel sound nor a completely consonant r sound.
Let’s look at each of the 5 r controlled vowels in more detail:
ar
The r controlled vowel ar makes the sound /ahr/ as in car, far, star, etc. The r modifies the short a vowel, changing it from the /a/ sound as in cat to the r controlled /ahr/ sound.
Some examples of ar words:
- car
- star
- farm
- arm
- park
When trying to pronounce ar correctly, it’s important to shape the mouth and position the tongue as if you are going to say the r. The tip of the tongue should point up towards the ridge right behind the teeth. The tongue stays in this position as you make the transition from the vowel into the r sound. Say the word “car” slowly to feel how your mouth changes going from the a to the r. The a transitions smoothly into the r with the tongue already in place.
er
The r controlled vowel er makes an /er/ sound as in her, person, term, etc. When er follows a vowel, the r modifies the vowel, making the er combination have a distinct /er/ sound.
Some examples of er words:
- her
- person
- term
- fern
- verb
To make the er sound correctly, the tongue starts in a mid-high position in the mouth for the beginning vowel sound. As it transitions to the r, the tongue stays stiff and flat and the lips become rounded. Practice words with er slowly, focusing on keeping the tongue flat and tip pointed up as you transition from the starting vowel into the r.
ir
The r controlled vowel combination ir makes a /er/ sound as in bird, girl, third, etc. The r modifies the i vowel, changing it to an /er/ sound when ir is combined.
Some examples of ir words:
- bird
- girl
- shirt
- thirsty
- birth
To make ir sound natural, start by making the i vowel with the tongue forward and high. As you transition to the r, keep the tongue flat and elevated and round the lips. Practice words with ir slowly, paying attention to the tongue position as you move from the i into the r. Saying the words deliberately can help develop awareness and control.
or
The r controlled vowel or makes the sound /or/ as in for, short, born, etc. When or follows a vowel, the r changes the vowel sound by controlling it and creating the r colored /or/ sound.
Some examples of or words:
- for
- short
- born
- fort
- sport
To make the or combination, the mouth and tongue start in a relaxed mid position for the o vowel. As you transition to the r, the tongue tip elevates towards the ridge behind the teeth. Practice this slow transition between the vowel and r to develop coordination and accuracy. Say words with or while focusing on the tongue position changing from the o to the r.
ur
The r controlled vowel ur makes an /er/ sound as in turn, burn, curly, etc. When ur comes after a vowel, the r modifies the vowel, making the ur have an /er/ r controlled sound.
Some examples of ur words:
- turn
- hurt
- curl
- burn
- purple
To make the ur combination, start with the tongue high and tense for the u vowel. Transition smoothly into the r, keeping the tongue flat and elevated. The tip of the tongue points up just behind the ridge of the teeth. Practice moving between the u and r slowly, coordinating the changing tongue position.
Characteristics of r controlled vowels
All of the r controlled vowels have some shared characteristics in their pronunciation:
- The r modifies the vowel, changing its sound.
- The tongue position transitions from the vowel into the r sound.
- The tip of the tongue points up during the r.
- The lips become more rounded from the vowel into the r.
- The sound is neither a pure vowel nor a fully consonant r.
Being aware of these shared traits can help in learning to pronounce r controlled vowels accurately. Saying r controlled vowel words slowly and deliberately can develop control over the changing mouth and tongue position.
Tips for pronouncing r controlled vowels
Here are some helpful tips for practicing and properly pronouncing r controlled vowels:
- Look at mouth diagrams – Seeing visual depictions of how the mouth and tongue change can provide clarity.
- Say the vowels by themselves first – Get the pure vowel sounds in isolation before combining with r.
- Place a hand in front of the mouth – Feeling the changing breath and sound on the palm gives helpful feedback.
- Slow it down – Say words slowly focusing on the transition between the vowel and r.
- Exaggerate the mouth changes – Make the tongue and lip adjustments bigger at first.
- Read aloud practice – Books with r controlled vowels help strengthen awareness and coordination.
- Get feedback – Asking a friend or teacher to listen and give feedback improves accuracy.
With conscious practice and an awareness of how the mouth adjusts, the r controlled vowels can become smooth, natural sounding speech sounds.
The role of r controlled vowels in reading and spelling
Understanding r controlled vowels is very important for proper reading and spelling. Since r can modify a vowel in unpredictable ways, seeing and saying r controlled vowel combinations accurately is needed for proficiency. Here are some key points about r controlled vowels in reading and spelling:
- The vowel spelling may not match the vowel sound – For instance, “her” sounds like /er/ not /a/.
- Knowing the r controlled vowel patterns helps decode unfamiliar words while reading.
- Hearing words accurately helps spell r controlled vowel patterns correctly.
- Misreading r controlled vowels leads to pronouncing words incorrectly.
- Misspelling r controlled vowels leads to words looking incorrect.
When teaching reading to children or other learners, it is essential to draw attention to r controlled vowel combinations. Provide plenty of practice saying and spelling common r controlled vowel words. Check for understanding by having students pronounce r controlled vowel patterns and choose the correct spelling. Automatic recognition of these vowel combinations contributes greatly to reading and spelling mastery.
Fun activities for practicing r controlled vowels
Using engaging activities can help solidify knowledge of r controlled vowels. Here are some fun ways to give learners practice with these important sounds:
- R controlled vowel bingo – Call out words for students to find and cover on a bingo board.
- Vowel change sorting – Have students sort word cards by the r controlled vowel sound.
- Odd one out – Give a list of words; students identify the one that doesn’t have the target vowel.
- Word hunt – Find as many words as possible with a given r controlled vowel in a book or passage.
- R controlled vowel Four Square – Take turns saying words to fill up a four square grid.
- Flip and spell – Flip over word cards and spell the words containing r controlled vowels.
- Vowel change artwork – Color code words on a drawing according to their r controlled vowel.
Keeping learners actively engaged with r controlled vowels through games and activities provides enjoyable repeated practice. Choral reading, call and response, and reader’s theater with r controlled vowel words also helps literacy skills click into place.
Conclusion
The five r controlled vowels – ar, er, ir, or, and ur – are vital to phonics and proper speech. The r modifies the preceding vowel, creating a new sound. Learning to smoothly transition between the vowel and r when pronouncing these combinations takes practice and coordination. Various tips and exercises help speakers gain control and accuracy with r controlled vowels. Explicit teaching of r controlled vowel patterns is essential for reading and spelling proficiency. Fun activities allow for engaging repetition. With good instruction and lots of practice, r controlled vowels can become natural and automatic. Understanding these special sounds prepares students for success in reading, writing, and speaking.