R-Controlled Vowel resources for kids in grades K-5! Our comprehensive resource contains lists, charts, games, and worksheets of r-controlled vowel words. Each resource is completely free to download and fun to use in homeschool and classroom settings. Be sure to check out our Kindergarten READ Curriculum to help students understand and practice critical phonetic patterns and improve their overall reading and writing abilities.
What is an R-Controlled Vowel Word?
An r-controlled vowel word is the fifth syllable type of six syllables in the sequence of open, closed, vowel-constant-e (magic e), vowel team, r-controlled, and final stable syllables. When r is next to a vowel, the sound changes and they produce a unique sound that is neither quite the vowel’s long nor its short sound. This combination of a vowel followed by an ‘r’ creates a specific sound that is controlled or ‘bossy’ by the presence of the ‘r’. Teachers sometimes call it the ‘Bossy R’ sound!
For example, let’s take the word ‘car’; the ‘a’ does not have its usual short vowel sound (as in ‘cat’) nor its long sound (as in ‘cake’). Instead, it kind of sounds like a pirate talking ‘arrghh’! It has a unique sound due to the influence of the ‘r’ that follows it. Other examples include ‘bird,’ ‘turn,’ ‘fork,’ and ‘stir’. Each of these showcases how the ‘r’ changes the way the vowel before it sounds.
R-Controlled Syllables: Part of the Syllable Family
An r-controlled syllable is one of 6 types of syllables: open, closed, vowel teams (or diphthongs), consonant-le, and odd and schwa syllables. An r-controlled syllable can be the following 2 letters: er, ir, or, ar, or ur. Vowel pronunciation often changes before /r/.
The unique vowel sounds involving the ‘r’ sound can be short, long, or make a diphthong sound. Diphthongs are types of vowel teams that make a special sound. They are called ‘sliding sounds’ because they kind of slide into the next sound. Watch your mouth in the mirror and you’ll notice that your lips change position as it says the sound with ‘card’ compared to other open syllable ‘r’ sound like in ‘care’.
R-Controlled Word List
This long r-controlled vowel word list separates our ar, ir, er, or, ur sound words into a different sections based on spelling pattern. Perfect for your more advanced learners or upper elementary grades.
R-Controlled Word List Chart
This r-controlled vowel word list shows visual examples of the different spelling patterns. Perfect for your students to use as a visual reference in their learning notebooks or classrooms space.
R-Controlled Words Poster
This r-controlled vowel words poster shows the various spelling patterns used in r-controlled vowel sounds. This makes a great classroom chart or student reference guide.
R-Controlled AR Word Poster
This AR word list separates our shows examples of r-controlled words containing the letter a. Perfect for your more advanced learners or upper elementary grades.
R-Controlled ER Word List
This ER word list separates our shows examples of r-controlled words containing the letter e. Perfect for your more advanced learners or upper elementary grades.
R-Controlled IR Word List
This IR word list separates our shows examples of r-controlled words containing the letter i. Perfect for your more advanced learners or upper elementary grades.
R-Controlled OR Word List
This OR word list separates our shows examples of r-controlled words containing the letter o. Perfect for your more advanced learners or upper elementary grades.
R-Controlled UR Word List
This UR word list separates our shows examples of r-controlled words containing the letter u. Perfect for your more advanced learners or upper elementary grades.
Examples of R-Controlled Vowel Words
As a teacher, it’s essential to have kid-friendly examples of r-controlled vowel words that your students will remember easily. Consider words like “spider” or “bird”. Additionally, words like “jar” and “corn” showcase the r-controlled vowel sound. Utilizing these examples in teaching can aid students in recognizing and incorporating r-controlled words in their vocabulary and reading comprehension.
Spelling Patterns for R-Controlled Vowel Words
Below is a list of r-controlled vowel words based on spelling patterns. These words have been sectioned off into ar, er, ir, or, and ur lists. The lists also contain words that may have one (or both) of the following two types of letter teams.
AR Words
This list of ar words is an easy to use list of words that contain letter a next to the r.
- card
- chart
- farm
- harp
- jar
- park
- star
- yarn
ER Vowel Words
Below is a list of er words.
- burger
- germs
- herb
- river
- spider
- water
- fern
- gerbil
IR Vowel Words
Here are examples of the ir vowel sounds.
- bird
- circus
- dirt
- third
- skirt
- swirl
- twirl
- girl
OR Vowel Words
Some word examples of the or vowel sounds include:
- coral
- cork
- corn
- fork
- stork
- storm
- torch
- horn
UR Vowel Words
This list of ur vowel sound examples include:
- burnt
- fur
- nurse
- purple
- Saturn
- surf
- turtle
- turkey
R-Controlled Word Flashcard Set
These R-Controlled Vowel Flashcards are perfect for students learning how to read. They show a variety of r-controlled vowel spelling patterns and are sorted as such. Plus, we’ve included a bonus set of r-controlled picture flashcards! These make a perfect set to use with our learning game mat for matching games and other learning lessons!
Also, don’t miss out on downloading a set of our CVCe Flashcards or CVC Flashcards for even more exciting patterns in phonics reading when your students are ready for the next level!
R-Controlled Vowel Flashcards Set 1
Printable r-controlled vowel sound flashcards feature a variety of r-controlled vowel words. There’s something for every learning environment.
R-Controlled Vowel Flashcards Set 2
Printable r-controlled vowel sound flashcards feature a variety of r-controlled vowel words. There’s something for every learning environment.
R-Controlled Vowel Flashcards Set 3
Printable r-controlled vowel sound flashcards feature a variety of r-controlled vowel words. There’s something for every learning environment.
R-Controlled Vowel Flashcards Card 4
Printable r-controlled vowel sound flashcards feature a variety of r-controlled vowel words. There’s something for every learning environment.
Picture Flashcards Set 1
R-controlled vowel word flashcards with matching pictures are a great visual resource. These printable flashcards can be used in game play, reading practice, and more!
Picture Flashcards Set 2
R-controlled vowel word flashcards with matching pictures are a great visual resource. These printable flashcards can be used in game play, reading practice, and more!
Picture Flashcards Set 3
R-controlled vowel word flashcards with matching pictures are a great visual resource. These printable flashcards can be used in game play, reading practice, and more!
Picture Flashcards Set 4
R-controlled vowel word flashcards with matching pictures are a great visual resource. These printable flashcards can be used in game play, reading practice, and more!
R-Controlled Vowel BINGO Cards
Below are an engaging set of half dozen BINGO cards for fun game playing and learning reinforcement of r-controlled vowel words.
R-Controlled Vowel Words BINGO Card 1
Our r-controlled vowel BINGO game is a fun and engaging way for your students to practice reading r-controlled vowel words. Each card has a 24 words listed and a free space in the middle!
R-Controlled Vowel Words BINGO Card 2
Our r-controlled vowel BINGO game is a fun and engaging way for your students to practice reading r-controlled vowel words. Each card has a 24 words listed and a free space in the middle!
R-Controlled Vowel Words BINGO Card 3
Our r-controlled vowel BINGO game is a fun and engaging way for your students to practice reading r-controlled vowel words. Each card has a 24 words listed and a free space in the middle!
R-Controlled Vowel Words BINGO Card 4
Our r-controlled vowel BINGO game is a fun and engaging way for your students to practice reading r-controlled vowel words. Each card has a 24 words listed and a free space in the middle!
R-Controlled Vowel Words BINGO Card 5
Our r-controlled vowel BINGO game is a fun and engaging way for your students to practice reading r-controlled vowel words. Each card has a 24 words listed and a free space in the middle!
R-Controlled Vowel Words Game BINGO Card 6
Our r-controlled vowel BINGO game is a fun and engaging way for your students to practice reading r-controlled vowel words. Each card has a 24 words listed and a free space in the middle!
R-Controlled Vowel Words BINGO Calling Card 1
These calling cards can be used with the r-controlled vowel BINGO game above. Simply print, laminate, and cut them out to play BINGO!
R-Controlled Vowel Words BINGO Calling Card 2
These calling cards can be used with the r-controlled vowel BINGO game above. Simply print, laminate, and cut them out to play BINGO!
R-Controlled Vowel Word Games and Worksheets
Check out these fun games and interactive worksheets that include a huge variety of skill sets to the r-controlled vowel sounds along with their spelling patterns.
R-Controlled Vowel Words Game Mat
This universal game mat makes playing vowel games fun and easy. Use this mat with our word lists, picture lists, and find those r-controlled vowel sounds!
Spelling Words with R-Controlled Vowel
Are your students learning to read and write? This r-controlled vowel worksheet provides students with pictures and uses a word list at the bottom of the page for student reference.
R-Controlled Vowel Word Read the Word Activity
Match the r-controlled vowel word list with the picture list. This fun worksheet makes learning r-controlled vowel sounds fun and engaging for your students!
R-Controlled Vowel Word Build a Word Vowel Sound
This is the perfect r-controlled vowel worksheet for beginning writers. Your students will look at the picture, read and trace the word, write the word in the boxes, then write the word on their own.
R-Controlled Vowel Word Matching Worksheet
Look at each picture and circle the correct r-controlled vowel word that matches. This printable worksheet develops r-controlled vowel practice along with reading skills.
R-Controlled Vowel Words Vowel Dab the Word Sounds
Dab the correct r-controlled words on this free, printable worksheet. Each r-controlled vowel sound is created by pairing the correct letters. Your students will love reading through this list and playing along!
Words with R-Controlled Vowels Cut Out Activity
Cut and paste these r-controlled vowel sound words to improve literacy skills as well as fine motor control. Your student swill love finding the r-controlled vowel sound in each word!
Comment (1)
Wow! I love this! I’ve never seen worksheets like these specifically for r-controlled vowels. This will help so many kids.