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500 Common English Words: R Sounds



R Sound Basics: Introduction Video


American speakers pronounce R by making the tongue tense. When the tongue is tense, the throat naturally becomes a little bit tight. Make sure that the tip of the tongue does not touch the top of the mouth.

In grade schools, American teachers compare the R to a growling sound made by a cat. If you think of that, it could help you to tense the tongue and throat in the right way.

You can also think of the consonant Y sound as in yes. With this sound, we tense the tongue just a bit. R is made in about the same way except the tongue is much more tense.

If you are not used to this R sound, you just need practice. Remember: Americans pronounce all R sounds--whether R is first, middle or last. Do you have difficulty hearing the difference between R and L? Take the online listening test.




R as 1st letter

R in consonant letter combo.

-ere/ear (long E)

-ire (say IYR)

-er/-ir/-ur

Open -ar

Long -ar

-or

 Video

 Video

  Video

Video

 Video


Video

Rabbit

Bread

Here

Buyer

Answer

Are

Air

Before

Rain

Bring

Near

Fire

Bird

Car

Area

Course

Ran

Broom

Year

Hire

Center

Dark

Care

Door

Reach

Brought

Appear

Tire

Circle

Far

Carry

Floor

Read

Brown

Hear

Wire

Color

Farm

Chair

For

Ready

Children

Clear

 

Correct

Hard

Their

Force

Real

Country

 

 

Cover

Large

There

Fork

Red

Cream

 

 

Direct

Mark

Where

Form

Rest

Cross

 

 

Dirt

Part

 

Four

Right

Cry

 

 


During

Star

 

Horse

Ring

Draw

 

 

Early

Start

 

More

River

Dream

 

 

Earth

 

 

Morning

Road

Dress

 

 

Every

 

 

North

Rock

Drive

 

 

First

 

 

Order

Room

Dry

 

 


Girl

 

 

Port

Rope

Free

 

 

Govern

 

 

Short

Round

Friend

 

 

Heard

 

 

Story

Rule

From

 

 

Her

 

 

War

Rug

Front

 

 

Interest

 

 

Warm

Run

Great

 

 

Learn

 

 

Your

Write

Green

 

 

Letter

 

 

 

Test 

Ground

 

 

Measure

 

 

 

 

Group

 

 


Number

 

 

 

 

Grow

 

 

Order

 

 

 

 

Hundred

 

 

Other

 

 

 

 

Press

 

 

Over

 

 

 

 

Pretty

 

 

Paper

 

 

 

 

Print

 

 

Person

 

 

 

 

Problem

 

 

Picture

 

 

 

 

Produce

 

 

Remember

 

 

 

 

Product

 

 

River

 

 

 

 

Street

 

 

Serve

 

 

 

 

Strong

 

 

Sure

 

 

 

 

Three

 

 

Water

 

 

 

 

Travel

 

 

Were

 

 

 

 

Tree

 

 

Word

 

 

 

 

Truck

 

 

Work

 

 

 

 

True

 

 

World

 

 

 

 

Try

 

 

Worm

 

 

 

 

Umbrella

 

 

 

 

 

 


Test

 

 

Y + ur Sound

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


figure

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

pure

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

cure

 

 

 




More Important R Facts

In standard American speech, all R's are pronounced, whether first, middle or last
. You may notice that this is quite different from British English in which R's are usually silent when middle or last. Also, you may notice that Americans with certain southern accents or New York accents will drop some R sounds.


When R is the last letter, it is not pronounced as strongly.

For RL combination, pronounce RUL. For instance, for "girl" say "gir-rul." By placing a small sound there, you give yourself time to pronounce both the R and L clearly. It is also helpful to imagine a strong R or a double R when R is next to L.

For TR combination, as in "tree," pronounce almost as CHR.

Er Exception: very  (pronounced with a short E as in "bed")


Test Your Knowledge

Practice articulating R sounds with reading 1 and reading 2.

Take our multiple choice test on R sounds.

Take a listening test on hearing the difference between L and R as a last letter.


Get more practice with R: R sound reading practice. Practice speaking with R and L questions.

Read more about making the R Sound.




Copyright I.E. Tutoring's Speakmethod.com: English Pronunciation, Seattle, WA