R-Controlled Syllables

Read syllables where an r right after the vowel changes its sound.

In an r-controlled syllable, a vowel is followed by r, and the r changes the vowel into a new sound. The vowel is neither short nor long. 'Ar' says the sound in car, 'or' says the sound in fork, and 'er', 'ir', and 'ur' usually all say the same sound, as in her, bird, and turn. Treat the vowel and the r as one unit that stays in the same syllable. Look at 'garden'. Split it gar-den.

'Gar' is r-controlled, so say 'gar' as in 'car', not 'gah-r'. Then read the closed syllable 'den'. Because er, ir, and ur sound alike, spelling them is tricky; you have to remember which one each word uses, like 'thirst' versus 'burst'.

• 1An r after a vowel changes the vowel's sound.
• 2ar, or, er, ir, ur are the main r-controlled spellings.
• 3er, ir, and ur often sound the same, so spelling needs memory.