R-controlled vowels are vowels that are followed by the letter r. When this happens, the r changes the way the vowel sounds. The vowel no longer makes its regular short or long sound.
Remember: When a vowel is followed by r, it is no longer a pure vowel sound. We call this an r-controlled vowel sound.
Each vowel can be followed by r to make a new sound. These patterns are common in reading and writing.
er, ir, and ur usually sound the same. Pay attention to the spelling when you write.
When you see a vowel followed by r, read the vowel and r together as one sound. Do not try to separate them.
Cover the ending letters and focus on the r-controlled vowel first. Then blend the rest of the word.
You will see many r-controlled vowels in everyday reading. Learning them will help you become a stronger reader.
Practice reading these words out loud. The more you practice, the faster you will recognize the r-controlled vowel sound.
Once you know the sounds, try reading and writing full sentences with r-controlled vowels. This helps you apply what you learn.
If a sentence sounds strange, check if you are reading the r-controlled vowel as one sound.