R-Controlled Vowels (ar, or, er) Worksheets
When r comes right after a vowel, the two merge into a brand-new sound that teachers call the bossy r. Ar says the sound in car, or says the sound in corn, and er, ir, and ur all say the single sound in her, bird, and fur. First graders sort words by ear into those three sound columns.
By grade
What students need to know
When r follows a vowel, it bosses the sound around: car, corn, and bird don't use their short vowels.
This skill runs from 1st grade through 2nd grade. Pick a grade above for level-matched sentences, teaching notes, and worksheets.
R-Controlled Vowels (ar, or, er) across the grades
1st Grade
When r comes right after a vowel, the two merge into a brand-new sound that teachers call the bossy r. Ar says the sound in car, or says the sound in corn, and er, ir, and ur all say the single sound in her, bird, and fur. First graders sort words by ear into those three sound columns.
2nd Grade
Second graders sort the bossy r patterns quickly and take on the real spelling challenge: er, ir, and ur sound identical, so words like nurse, first, and letter must be remembered by sight. Sorting keeps those spellings in front of their eyes while the sound columns stay anchored by ear.