Classroom · Phonics · CCSS RF.1.3, RF.2.3

R-controlled vowels worksheets

When r comes after a vowel, it changes the vowel sound: car, corn, bird. Teachers often call it bossy r. These free packs teach ar, or, and the three spellings of the er sound (er, ir, ur) with pictures, seven kinds of practice and an answer key.

• ar wordscar, star, jar, shark and more

  carfarjarstarparkdark

  Pack(7 pages, color)Ink saver (B&W)
• or wordscorn, fork, horse, popcorn and more

  forcornhornbornforkfort

  Pack(7 pages, color)Ink saver (B&W)
• er, ir and ur wordsbird, shirt, turtle, purse and more

  herferntermbirdgirlfirst

  Pack(7 pages, color)Ink saver (B&W)

What is in each pack

1. 1. Meet the wordsEight picture words with the sound in color, how to say it, and more words to read.
2. 2. Which sound do you hear?Say each picture name and circle the right letters from three choices.
3. 3. Match the pictureDraw a line from each picture to its word.
4. 4. Fill in the missing lettersWrite the missing letters, then write the whole word on the line.
5. 5. Sort the wordsA word bank to read and sort into columns.
6. 6. Read, trace and findTwelve words to trace, then three short sentences. Children circle the target words.
7. 7. Answer key and tipEvery answer, a teaching tip and the most common mistake to watch for.

How to teach r-controlled vowels

1. Vowel plus r is one sound. Children underline the vowel and the r together, as they do with digraphs.
2. Compare with short vowels. Cat and cart, hot and horn, bid and bird. Hearing the change helps children notice the r.
3. One sound, three spellings. Er, ir and ur sound the same. Teach the sound first, then the spellings word by word.
4. Sort often. Sorting by sound (ar, or, er) and then by spelling (er, ir, ur) builds both reading and spelling.
5. Watch for w. After w, or usually sounds like er (word, work, worm). Point it out when it comes up.

Common questions

Before this: vowel teamsCVC words worksheetsSight words worksheets