Circle The R Controlled Vowels Worksheet With Answer

Description

I have a confession: I don’t love the term “Bossy R.” It makes the ‘r’ sound like a bully, but really, it’s just a team player that changes the game. I once had a student read “first” as /f/ /ir/ /s/ /t/ but then wrote “furst.” He heard it right but missed the spelling pattern. That’s the r-controlled vowel challenge. This worksheet helps kids understand and master the ‘r’ sounds—especially the tricky /er/ sound—by turning frustration into a fun puzzle.

Why This Worksheet is Different: It Explains the “Why”

Most worksheets give rules. Ours explains the reason behind them, making learning stick.

We focus on two powerful insights:

1. It’s a New Sound: “ar” isn’t /a/ + /r/—it’s /ar/ (car). Same with “or” (/or/) and the /er/ family. This avoids confusion and blending mistakes.

This matches the Orton-Gillingham method: structured, multi-sensory, and step-by-step learning.

What’s Inside This “Bossy R” Toolkit?

Your child will build understanding through engaging activities:

• Feel the Sound: Say the sounds out loud and notice how the mouth changes shape.
• Sort by Sound & Spelling: Sort words with the /er/ sound into “er,” “ir,” and “ur” columns for spelling mastery.
• Use Spelling Hints: Prompts guide kids toward the right choice for tricky /er/ words.
• Read in Context: Sentences with r-controlled words build fluency and confidence.

3 Tips to Coach Through the “Bossy R”

1. Get Vocal & Physical: Stretch out “car” or “bird” sounds so kids can hear and feel the difference.

2. Play “Which Spelling?”: Pause during reading and guess if an /er/ word is spelled with er, ir, or ur—then check.

3. Create a Word Wall: Make ER, IR, and UR columns and add words as you learn them. A great reference for writing time.

Ready to Transform Confusion into Confidence?

This worksheet gives clear explanations, strategies, and practice to conquer the “Bossy R.” It turns confusion into confidence.

Call to Action: Click ‘Add to Cart’ to download your R-Controlled Vowels Worksheet instantly and give your child the tools to master these sounds.