R Controlled Vowels worksheet for practicing pronunciation of words with "R" following vowels.

Let's solve this "R Controlled Vowels" worksheet step by step.

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🔤 Understanding R-Controlled Vowels:

When the letter R follows a vowel in a word, it changes how the vowel is pronounced. This is called an "R-controlled vowel", and it often creates a special sound (like "ar", "er", "ir", "or", "ur"). The vowel doesn't act like a short or long vowel anymore.

Examples from the worksheet:
- cat → short *a* sound
- card → *ar* sound (R-controlled)
- fun → short *u*
- fur → *ur* sound (R-controlled)

We are to identify the two letters that make the "R" sound in each word. If there’s no "R" sound, leave blank.

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Now, let’s go through each word:

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1. tan
- Pronunciation: /tæn/ — short *a*, no R sound
→ No R sound → blank

2. hurt
- Pronunciation: /hɜːrt/ — has the *ur* sound
→ ur

3. shorn
- Pronunciation: /ʃɔːrn/ — has *or* sound
→ or

4. hand
- Pronunciation: /hænd/ — short *a*, no R sound
→ No R sound → blank

5. that
- Pronunciation: /ðæt/ — short *a*, no R sound
→ No R sound → blank

6. harm
- Pronunciation: /hɑːrm/ — *ar* sound
→ ar

7. cart
- Pronunciation: /kɑːrt/ — *ar* sound
→ ar

8. slam
- Pronunciation: /slæm/ — short *a*, no R sound
→ No R sound → blank

9. ride
- Pronunciation: /raɪd/ — *i* + *d*, but the *i* is not R-controlled here
→ Wait! Let's check: “ride” = /raɪd/ — the *i* is part of a diphthong, but no R-controlled vowel? Actually, yes — the *i* is followed by *d*, but the *r* is not affecting the vowel.
→ Wait: In “ride”, the *r* is not after a vowel in a way that controls it. It’s “ride” = r-i-d-e, but the *i* is still pronounced as a long *i* (like in “bite”), and the *r* is just a consonant. So no R-controlled vowel here.
→ No R sound → blank

But wait — let’s double-check: Is there any R-controlled vowel in “ride”? No. The *r* is not modifying the vowel; it’s just part of the syllable. So blank.

10. road
- Pronunciation: /roʊd/ — *oa* becomes *o* sound, but with R-controlled?
- Yes — “road” has the *oa* combination, but the *o* is affected by the *r*.
- Actually, “road” = /roʊd/, where the *o* is not truly R-controlled. But in many cases, "oa" + r can be R-controlled. However, in standard English, “road” has the long o sound, not an R-controlled vowel.
- But let’s think: “road” is pronounced with a diphthong /oʊ/, not an R-controlled vowel.
- No R sound → blank

Wait — actually, some dialects may have slight variation, but in standard teaching, "road" does not have an R-controlled vowel. The *o* is long, not controlled by *r*. So blank.

But let’s reconsider: "road" — the *o* is followed by *a* and then *d*, but the *r* is not between the vowel and the consonant. Wait — "road" = r-o-a-d, so the *r* comes before the vowel *o*. That means r is before the vowel, not after. So no R-controlled vowel.

So → blank

11. rod
- Pronunciation: /rɑːd/ — *o* is R-controlled → ar sound? Wait:
- “rod” = /rɑːd/ — the *o* is pronounced like "aw" (as in "car") — this is ar sound, even though spelled *o*.
- So the "o" is being controlled by *r* → or? Wait — "or" is the digraph for the sound /ɔːr/.
- But in “rod”, it’s /rɑːd/, which is "ar" sound.
- But the spelling is "od" — so the "o" and "d" — but we need the two letters that create the R sound.
- The "o" and "r"? But *r* is before the vowel.

Wait — in “rod”, the *r* comes before the vowel. So the vowel is not preceded by *r*? No — "r-o-d", so *r* is before the vowel *o*. That means the vowel is not R-controlled?

Wait — actually, R-controlled vowels occur when R follows a vowel. So if the *r* is after the vowel, then it controls it.

In “rod” — r-o-d → *r* is before the vowel → so not R-controlled?

But that contradicts common knowledge.

Ah! Here's the key: R-controlled vowels occur when the vowel is followed by *r*. So in “rod”, the *o* is followed by *d*, not *r*. But *r* is before the vowel. So no R-control?

But in reality, “rod” has an R-controlled vowel sound — the *o* sounds like "aw" (like in "car"), which is an R-controlled vowel.

So why?

Because in "rod", the *r* is before the vowel, but the sound is still R-controlled due to the position of the *r* in the syllable.

Actually, this is a tricky point.

Let’s clarify:

- R-controlled vowels happen when a vowel is followed by *r*.
- Examples: car (a-r), her (e-r), for (o-r), bird (i-r), etc.

So in "rod", the *r* is before the vowel *o*, so it's not R-controlled.

But wait — "rod" is pronounced /rɑːd/ — the *o* is not being controlled by *r* because *r* is not after the vowel.

But that would mean "rod" has no R-controlled vowel — but it does have the *ar* sound.

This is a common confusion.

Let’s look at the structure:

- "rod": r-o-d → *r* is before the vowel → not R-controlled
- But the vowel *o* is pronounced like "ar" — so it’s not a short or long vowel, but it’s not R-controlled either?

Wait — no. In fact, "rod" is not considered an R-controlled vowel word in standard phonics.

Instead, "rod" is an example of a vowel followed by *r* only if *r* is after.

So let’s go back to the rule: R-controlled vowels occur when the vowel is followed by *r*.

So:

- "car": c-a-r → *a* is followed by *r* → ar
- "her": h-e-r → *e* is followed by *r* → er
- "for": f-o-r → *o* is followed by *r* → or
- "bird": b-i-r-d → *i* is followed by *r* → ir
- "word": w-o-r-d → *o* is followed by *r* → or

Ah! So "rod" is r-o-d → *o* is not followed by *r* — *r* is before → so not R-controlled.

But "word" is w-o-r-d → *o* is followed by *r* → or

So "rod" vs "word" — different!

So in "rod", the *r* is before the vowel → so not R-controlled

But "rod" is pronounced /rɑːd/ — the *o* sounds like "ar", but it's not R-controlled.

Wait — maybe the "o" is being influenced by the *r* even though it's before?

No — in phonics, R-controlled vowels require the *r* to follow the vowel.

So:

- "car" — *a* followed by *r* → ar
- "her" — *e* followed by *r* → er
- "for" — *o* followed by *r* → or
- "bird" — *i* followed by *r* → ir
- "part" — *a* followed by *r* → ar
- "alert" — *e* followed by *r* → er
- "whirl" — *i* followed by *r* → ir

So now let’s go through the list again carefully.

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✔ Correct Analysis:

1. tan → t-a-n → *a* not followed by *r* → no R sound → blank
2. hurt → h-u-r-t → *u* followed by *r* → ur
3. shorn → s-h-o-r-n → *o* followed by *r* → or
4. hand → h-a-n-d → *a* not followed by *r* → blank
5. that → t-h-a-t → *a* not followed by *r* → blank
6. harm → h-a-r-m → *a* followed by *r* → ar
7. cart → c-a-r-t → *a* followed by *r* → ar
8. slam → s-l-a-m → *a* not followed by *r* → blank
9. ride → r-i-d-e → *i* not followed by *r* → blank
10. road → r-o-a-d → *o* followed by *a*? No — *r* is before *o*, *o* is followed by *a*, not *r* → no R sound → blank
11. rod → r-o-d → *o* followed by *d*, not *r* → no R sound → blank
12. curl → c-u-r-l → *u* followed by *r* → ur
13. slap → s-l-a-p → *a* not followed by *r* → blank
14. part → p-a-r-t → *a* followed by *r* → ar
15. alert → a-l-e-r-t → *e* followed by *r* → er
16. whirl → w-h-i-r-l → *i* followed by *r* → ir

Wait — the worksheet lists:

> 1. tan
> 2. hurt
> 3. shorn
> 4. hand
> 5. that
> 6. harm
> 7. cart
> 8. slam
> 13. ride
> 14. road
> 15. rod
> 16. curl
> 17. slap
> 18. part
> 19. alert
> 20. whirl

So let’s number them correctly:

| # | Word | Vowel + r? | R-controlled? | Answer |
|---|-------|------------|----------------|--------|
| 1 | tan | a not followed by r | no | blank |
| 2 | hurt | u followed by r | yes | ur |
| 3 | shorn | o followed by r | yes | or |
| 4 | hand | a not followed by r | no | blank |
| 5 | that | a not followed by r | no | blank |
| 6 | harm | a followed by r | yes | ar |
| 7 | cart | a followed by r | yes | ar |
| 8 | slam | a not followed by r | no | blank |
| 13 | ride | i not followed by r | no | blank |
| 14 | road | o followed by a, not r | no | blank |
| 15 | rod | o followed by d, not r | no | blank |
| 16 | curl | u followed by r | yes | ur |
| 17 | slap | a not followed by r | no | blank |
| 18 | part | a followed by r | yes | ar |
| 19 | alert | e followed by r | yes | er |
| 20 | whirl | i followed by r | yes | ir |

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✔ Final Answers:

1. tan → blank
2. hurt → ur
3. shorn → or
4. hand → blank
5. that → blank
6. harm → ar
7. cart → ar
8. slam → blank
13. ride → blank
14. road → blank
15. rod → blank
16. curl → ur
17. slap → blank
18. part → ar
19. alert → er
20. whirl → ir

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📝 Summary:

The key is: Only write the two letters if the vowel is immediately followed by *r*.

- "ur" → hurt, curl
- "or" → shorn
- "ar" → harm, cart, part
- "er" → alert
- "ir" → whirl

Others do not have R-controlled vowels.

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✔ Final Answer List:

1.
2. ur
3. or
4.
5.
6. ar
7. ar
8.
13.
14.
15.
16. ur
17.
18. ar
19. er
20. ir

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✔ Answer Key:

```
1.
2. ur
3. or
4.
5.
6. ar
7. ar
8.
13.
14.
15.
16. ur
17.
18. ar
19. er
20. ir
```

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