R-Controlled Vowel Sort worksheet for practicing vowel sounds in words ending with -er, -ir, and -ur.

Problem Description:

The task is to sort words into the correct "r-controlled vowel" categories: er, ir, and ur. The goal is to identify which words contain these specific r-controlled vowel sounds and place them in the appropriate columns.

Solution Approach:

1. Understand R-Controlled Vowels:
- Er: Words like "term," "bird," etc., where the "er" sound is pronounced as /ɜr/.
- Ir: Words like "squirrel," "shirt," etc., where the "ir" sound is pronounced as /ɜr/ or /ɜːr/.
- Ur: Words like "burn," "turn," etc., where the "ur" sound is pronounced as /ɜr/.

2. Analyze Each Word:
- Carefully examine each word to determine which r-controlled vowel sound it contains.
- Pay attention to the pronunciation of the vowel before the "r" sound.

3. Sort the Words:
- Place each word in the correct column based on its r-controlled vowel sound.

Step-by-Step Analysis:

#### Words to Sort:
- term, bird, burn, church
- feather, squirrel, shirt, turn
- mother, dirty, burst, first
- thirsty, return, father, corner
- brother, sturdy, chapter, curse

#### Sorting into Categories:

1. Er:
- Words with the "er" sound (/ɜr/):
- term
- bird
- feather
- mother
- thirsty
- return
- brother
- sturdy
- chapter

2. Ir:
- Words with the "ir" sound (/ɜr/ or /ɜːr/):
- squirrel
- shirt
- dirty
- first
- curse

3. Ur:
- Words with the "ur" sound (/ɜr/):
- burn
- turn
- burst
- corner

Final Answer:

Here is the sorted list:

| Er | Ir | Ur |
|------------------|----------------|--------------|
| term | squirrel | burn |
| bird | shirt | turn |
| feather | dirty | burst |
| mother | first | corner |
| thirsty | | |
| return | | |
| brother | | |
| sturdy | | |
| chapter | | |

Explanation:

- Er: All words in this category have the "er" sound, such as "term," "bird," "feather," etc.
- Ir: Words like "squirrel," "shirt," "dirty," etc., have the "ir" sound.
- Ur: Words like "burn," "turn," "burst," etc., have the "ur" sound.

This sorting ensures that each word is placed in the correct category based on its r-controlled vowel sound.

Final Answer Boxed:
\[
\boxed{
\begin{array}{|c|c|c|}
\hline
\textbf{Er} & \textbf{Ir} & \textbf{Ur} \\
\hline
\text{term} & \text{squirrel} & \text{burn} \\
\text{bird} & \text{shirt} & \text{turn} \\
\text{feather} & \text{dirty} & \text{burst} \\
\text{mother} & \text{first} & \text{corner} \\
\text{thirsty} & & \\
\text{return} & & \\
\text{brother} & & \\
\text{sturdy} & & \\
\text{chapter} & & \\
\hline
\end{array}
}
\]