R-Controlled Vowels

Syllabic Vowel-r ː r-controlled Vowel: schwa + [r] = /ɚ/

When a vowel is followed by an "r", it makes a special sound. These are called r-controlled
vowels, or r-colored vowels and the sound is /ɚ/.
The r-controlled Vowel is a sound with schwa /ə/ and /r/ sound next to each other to form the /ɚ/
sound.
The syllabic [r]: Because the schwa + [r] has no discernible vowel sound, it is considered a
syllabic consonant.
Syllabic consonants include a vowel in the spelling, even though that vowel is not pronounced.
When learning about r-controlled vowels, syllable stress is important because any unstressed
syllable containing an [r] may be pronounced as /ə+r/, no matter which vowel is included in the
spelling.

Words with r-Controlled Vowels

arc ark arm art bar barb

barf barge bark barn car carb
car carp cart carv dark darn
ar /är/ d far farc e garb hard
dart harm e farm lard larg
har mar harp jar par e
k quark mar mart tart park
lark k tar tarp yard
ber fern ger her
er /ûr/ g nerv m perk
jerk e per terse
serf term tern
 bore born cord core cork corn
dorm for force ford fore forg
fork form fort gore gorg e
or /ôr/ horn hors lore lord e gorp
nor e Nors nort more morn
orb nor e h or ore
tore m pork port sore sort
bird dirt fir firm gird girl
ir /ûr/
irk sir
burn bur cur curb cur curl
curs p curve fur d hurt
ur /ûr/
e curt purr purs hurl surg
nurs purl urge e surf e

Words with r-Controlled Vowels and Consonant Digraphs or Blends

arch char charg char char harsh

larch marc e m t scarf
ar /är/
shard h mars parch scar spark
sparse shark h smart spar starve
chore forth north porc score scorc
scorn shor shor h snore h
or /ôr/
spore e n short stor snort
sworn sport store stork m swore
er /ûr/ berth clerk perch stern swerve
birth chirp first flirt girth mirt
ir /ûr/ shirt skirt smir squirm squir h stir
swirl third k whir t
blur blurb burst churn slur slurp
ur /ûr/
splurge spur spurn spurt
 R-controlled vowels in American English

American English pronunciation has four widely recognized r-controlled-vowels:

1. 'schwa+r' /ɚ/, exampleː stir
2. 'ar sound' /ɑr/, exampleː star
3. 'or sound' /ɔr/, exampleː store
4. 'air sound' /ɛr/, exampleː stair

The schwa+r /ɚ/ pronunciation is unique in that it includes no vowel sound (it sounds identical to
an 'r sound' /r/ when spoken in isolation); however, it retains the vowel-like quality of being
syllabic, forcing a syllable to occur.
The three-remaining r-controlled vowels are combinations of a vowel sound plus the 'r sound' /r/.

The following are major spelling patterns with percentage for frequency of occurrence:

/ɚ/
Group 1: er+(consonant) her (40%)
Group 2: ir+(consonant) sir (13%)
Group 3: or+(consonant) world (7%)
Group 4: ur+(consonant) fur (26%)

The "er", "ir", "or" and "ur" make a /ɚ/ sound.

Part 1: Major Spelling Patterns with the /ɚ/ sound by vowel

Spelling Patterns ‘aa with the /ɚ/ sound

/ɚ/
Group 1: a silent+(consonant) altar: ˈɔltər, backward: ˈbækwərd
Spelling Patterns ‘ee’ with the /ɚ/ sound
Group 1: e silent+r+(consonant) her hɜr

Group 2: ea silent + r +consonant, earn ɜrn, heard hɜrd

(In this group 2, the "ea" is silent and only the /ɚ/ is pronounced before the following consonant.
The consonant is obligatory in this pattern)

Group 3: e+r+e silent (exception) were wɜr

Spelling Patterns ‘ii’ with the /ɚ/ sound

Group 1: i silent+r+(consonant) sir sɜr

Group 2: ie silent+r+(consonant) soldier ˈsoʊlʤər
Spelling Patterns ‘oo’ with the /ɚ/ sound

Group 1: o silent+r+(consonant) world wɜrld

Spelling Patterns ‘uu’ with the /ɚ/ sound

Group 1: u silent+r+(consonant) fur fɜr, nurse nɜrs

Group 2: u silent+r+ e silent treasure ˈtrɛʒər, sure ʃʊr, picture ˈpɪkʧər, injure ˈɪnʤər

(This group 2 of words have an unaccented syllable "ure"; the "u" is silent and the preceding
consonant is palatalized before the vowel /ɚ/ sound with the /ʒ/, /ʃ/, /tʃ/, /ʤ/ sounds.

Part 2: Major Spelling Patterns with the /ɚ/ sound by another vowel

Aa -→ /ɑɚ/
Group 1: ar park pɑrk
Group 2: ar + ge large lɑrʤ
Group 3: ar + e silent are war wɔr
/eɚ/
Group 1: air ɛr pair pɛr
Group 2: ar+ e silent share ʃɛr
Group 3: ar+(r) marry ˈmɛri
/oɚ/
Group 1: ar war
Ee-→ /eɚ/

Group 1: er + e silent there

Group 2: eir their
Group 3: er+(r) very
Group 4: ear wear
/iɚ/
Group 1: ear ear
Group 2: er+e silent here
Group 3: eer beer

Ii-→ /ɑɚ/
Group 1: o+ir noir, menoir
(This group spelled with "oir" is pronounced /wɑɚ/, the "o" is /w/ and the "ir" is /ɑɚ/)

Oo

/oɚ/
Group 1: or+ e silent more
Group 2: or+ (consonant) form
Group 3: our four

/uɚ/
Group 1: oor poor
Group 2: our tour
Group 3: or + e silent more
Group 4: or story

Uu -→ /jɚ/
Group 1: ure cure
(This group spelled with "ure" are preceded by /j/ sound called palatalization of the consonant,
for the combined pronunciation of /jɚ/)
/juɚ/
Group 1: ur fury
(This group spelled with "ur" are preceded by /j/ sound called palatalization of the consonant, for
the combined pronunciation of /juɚ/)

Bossy R

When the letter r follows a vowel, the vowel is usually forced to change its sound. That’s why
we call it the “Bossy R.
The sound /ar/ is usually spelled with the letters a-r, but the sound /er/ can be spelled with any
vowel preceding the letter r.
Examples: a-r (dollar), e-r (swimmer), i-r (bird), o-r (motor), u-r (nurse), or e-a-r (earth).

The sound /or/ can be spelled o-r, but is can also be spelled a-r (warm), o-a-r (board), o-r-e
(chore), or o-u-r (pour).
The sound /air/ can be spelled a-i-r, but it can also be spelled e-r-e (there), a-r-e (dare), or e-a-r
(bear).

What are some ways to spell the /er/ sound?” (u-r, i-r, and e-r) and (u-r, i-r, and e-r).
what are some other ways to spell the /er/ sound?” (a-r and o-r)
what are some ways to spell the /ar/ sound?” (a-r-e and o-r-r).
what are some other ways to spell the /or/ sound?” (a-r, o-a-r, o-r-e, and o-o-r)
what are some other ways to spell the /air/ sound?” (a-i-r, e-r-e, e-i-r, and e-y-’-r-e) and (e-a-r, a-
r-e)
The vowel-r letters, and pronounce the sounds: /är/, /ôr/, /ûr/

Which spelling is /är/? (a r)

Which spelling is /ôr/? (o r)
Which three spellings have the sounds /ûr/? (e r, i r, u r)
Controlled R

When a vowel is followed by an r, it makes a special sound. These are called r-controlled
vowels, or r-colored vowels.
These Phonemes are as follows.

/ar/ always sounds like the ar in car.

/or/ always sounds like the or in for.
The ir,er, and ur, sound the same as in bird, her and fur. These all make a /ər/ sound.
controlled vowels are often called “Bossy R” because the r takes over and makes the vowel make
a new sound.
The er, ir, and ur all make the same sound /er/ as in her, bird, and fur.
But ar and or are a little different, as they have more than one sound.

What is an r combination syllable?

This is a syllable with an r-controlled vowel. An r-combination syllable always has at least one
vowel followed by r (ar, er, ir, or, ur, ear).

Review of the /ər/ Sound

The words work, turn, bird, and early are all spelled with a different vowel, yet the vowel sound
is the same. This frequently happens when a vowel is followed by the letter r. The sound remains
/ər/. Non-native speakers are frequently tempted to pronounce the vowels as they are spelled
The vowel sound doesn’t change even though the spelling does.

ER EAR IR OR UR
1. her early circle work turn
2. serve earth dirt worry curly
3. verb earn first worse burn
 4. were heard girl worm Thursday
5. nerd learn birthday world hurt

Vowels Followed by the /r/ Sound

The quality of a vowel sound often changes when an r follows it. There is a slight /ə/ sound
that is added after certain vowels, making it sound almost as if the word contains an extra
syllable. For example, fire sounds like “fai /ə/+r.”

Add an extra /ə/ sound before the /r/ sound as you practice reading these words aloud.
/iər/ /ɑər/ /aʊər/ /aɪər/ /oʊər/ /ɛər/

fear far hour hire four hair

near star sour tired tore there
hear hard power expire more care
clear large flower Ireland bored stairs