R controlled vowels are in many common words that first and second grade students need to be able to read. R controlled vowels are vowels immediately followed by an r. The vowel sound changes and is influenced, or controlled, by the r. Understanding how r controlled words and syllables work is very important for students learning to read. However, sometimes coming up with r controlled vowel words on the spot can be tricky. That’s why I’ve compiled these handy lists of r controlled vowel words.
Scroll to the end of the post to download the free printable lists from my free resource library for email subscribers.
How to Use the Lists
Use these lists any time you need some easy to read or easy to build long r controlled words. Print them out and keep them as a reference for small group. You can also use these lists to help build spelling lists, work on segmenting or building r controlled words, or to practice mapping words based on sounds if you follow the science of reading in your classroom.
Looking for more word lists? Find them here.
R Controlled Vowel Word Lists
Below you’ll find r controlled vowel word lists. They’re grouped by vowel for easy use. The words are grouped by simple and complex words so you can decide what words are most appropriate for your students. Simple words will have less sounds and less complex sounds. Complex words might be compound words, have more complex structure, or have soft vowels. The words in each list are also in alphabetical order.
ar Word Lists
simple ar words
afar ajar arch arm art bar bark barn car card cart chart dark dart far farm hard jar march mark mart par park part scar spar star shark smart star starch start tar yard yarn
complex ar words
altar archer argue barber bargain burglar calendar carpet cedar cheddar collar dollar farther friar garden grammar handlebar jaguar large liar marbles marker molar party pillar polar popular scarf seminar solar superstar yardstick
simple or words
bore born chore chord cord core corn cork dorm for fork fort form floor forth gore horn horse lore more north or porch pore pork port score shore short snore snort sore sort stork store storm story sword swore thorn tore torn word worn worm
complex or words
adore acorn before explore forty forgot glory hornet horrid ignore orbit organ resort
simple er words
fern her herd jerk nerd term verb
complex er words
after bigger bitter butter center concert copper different dinner faster funnier finger hammer holler kernel letter lobster louder mercy nerve number otter perfect quieter scatter serve slower smaller swerve taller tiger whisper
simple ir words
bird birch birth chirp circle circus dirt fir first firm first flirt girl girls irk quirk sir skirt shirk shirt smirk stir swirl third thirsty thirty twirl whirl
complex ir words
birthday confirm dirty squirm thirteen
simple ur words
blur blurt burp burst burn church curl curt curve curse curb fur hurl hurt lurk nurse purse purr spurt spur surf turf turn
complex ur words
blurry burger burglar curtain disturb figure flurry furniture injured purple scurry surprise sturdy turkey turnip turtle
simple air words
air chair fair flair hair lair pair stairs
complex air words
aircraft airport airship despair dairy éclair fairground fairy hairbrush hairy millionaire repair staircase unfair
Click the picture below to download the free printable lists of r controlled vowel word families from my free resource library for email subscribers.
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