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2.21: The Consonant Sound [r]

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Overview of the Consonant Sound [r]

There are four different spellings of [r]. The sound [r] is usually spelled <r> or <rr> and sometimes <wr> or <rh>.

Examples

[r] spelled <r>: other, car, after

[r] spelled <rr>: corrected, surrender, burrito

[r] spelled <wr>: write, wrong, wrap

[r] spelled <rh>: rhyme, rhythm, rhetoric

Review

  1. Underline the letters that spell [r]. 
    acrosswriteparrotanotherearthsorryotherwrongrightwrittenarriveairportworrytogetheroversquare
  2. In nine words, [r] is spelled __________.
  3. In four words, [r] is spelled __________.
  4. In three words, [r] is spelled __________.
  5. Now sort the words with [r] into these groups.
    Words with [r] spelled ...
    <r> <rr> <wr>
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
  6. Underline the letters that spell [r] in the following words. Note that you should find all four spellings.
    breathingrecognizereflectionsurplusacquireremarriedterrifysurrenderrewrotecorrectedinterestwinterwrongalternateinterferencereferredresignationrhymeareaarrivedwritteninterpretpioneersurroundrhinocerosfreedomchildreninterruptreliancewrappingsintermediateliar
  7. Sort the words into these four groups. Some words will go into more than one group.
    Words in which [r] is spelled ...
    <rh> <wr> <rr>
           
           
           
           
     
    Words in which [r] is spelled <r>:
           
           
           
           
           
           
  8. Now sort the twenty-three words in which [r] is spelled <r> into these three groups. Again, some words will go into more than one group.
    Words with an <r> that spells an [r] that is ...
    at the beginning of the word in the middle of the word at the end of the word
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
  9. Based on the sample of words in this lesson, [r] is most often spelled ________ or ________.
Show Answer
  1. acr_osswr_itepar_r_otanother_ear_thsor_r_yother_wr_ongr_ightwr_ittenar_r_iveair_por_twor_r_ytogether_over_squar_e
  2. In nine words, [r] is spelled <r>.
  3. In four words, [r] is spelled <rr>.
  4. In three words, [r] is spelled <wr>.
  5. Words with [r] spelled ...
    <r> <rr> <wr>
    across worry write
    earth sorry written
    right parrot wrong
    together arrive  
    other    
    over    
    another    
    airport    
    square    
  6. br_eathingr_ecognizer_eflectionsur_plusacquir_er_emar_r_iedter_r_ifysur_r_ender_r_ewr_otecor_r_ectedinter_estwinter_wr_ongalter_nateinter_fer_encer_efer_r_edr_esignationr_hymear_eaar_r_ivedwr_itteninter_pr_etpioneer_sur_r_oundr_hinocer_osfr_eedomchildr_eninter_r_uptr_eliancewr_appingsinter_mediateliar_
  7. Words in which [r] is spelled ...
    <rh> <wr> <rr>
    rhinoceros rewrite remarried referred
    rhyme wrong corrected arrived
      written terrify surround
      wrapping surrender interrupt
    Words in which [r] is spelled <r>:
    breathing recognize interest surplus
    acquire remarried interfere surrender
    rewrote alternate area winter
    resignation interpret pioneer referred
    rhinoceros freedom children liar
    reliance reflection intermediate  
  8. Words with an <r> that spells an [r] that is ...
    at the beginning of the word in the middle of the word at the end of the word
    rewrote breathing acquire
    resignation alternate interfere
    reliance interpret pioneer
    recognize freedom surrender
    remarried interest winter
    reflection interfere liar
    referred area  
      children  
      intermediate  
      surplus  
  9. Based on the sample of words in this lesson, [r] is most often spelled  <r>  or  <rr> .

Explore More

Word Squares: Fill in the words from below.

Note: All but three of the words in this Squares contain the sound [r].

3-letters: ate

4-letters: over, girl, goes

5-letters: earth, right, worry, other, wrong, round, often, three

6-letters: across, writer, parrot, arrive

7-letters: sorrier, written, another, airport

8-letters: together

The words that do not contain [r] are __________, ________, and _________.

Show Answer

The words that do not contain [r] are oftengoes ,and ate.

[r] Spelled <rr>

Most of the time [r] is spelled <r> - but not always. Sometimes [r] is spelled <rr>.

You twin the final consonant of a free stem that has one vowel sound and ends CVC when you add a suffix that starts with a vowel. You twin the final consonant of a free stem that has two vowel sounds whenever you add a suffix that starts with a vowel and the stem ends CVC and has strong stress on its final vowel both before and after you add the suffix.

Examples

The following words have [r] spelled <rr> due to simple addition:

overripeunderratedsurroundings

The following words have [r] spelled <rr> due to twinning:

referredscarredtransferring

Review

  1. Here are twenty words in which [r] is spelled <rr>. Underline the <rr> spellings in each word: 
    irrigationinterruptirritateunderratedoverripeconferringpreferredtransferringreferredscarredarrangeirresponsiblearrestcorrectlyirregularsurrenderedarrivalcorruptioncorrespondsurroundings
  2. We often get double consonants because of simple addition: If a word contains two elements, and the first element ends in a consonant and the second element starts with the same consonant, we get a double consonant. Five of the twenty words have <rr> because of simple addition. Find these five words, write them in the left column below, and then analyze them to show where the <rr> comes from:

    Word Analysis
    overripe over + ripe
       
        
       
       
  3. In five of the twenty words above, [r] is spelled <rr> because of twinning. List them below and analyze each one to show how twinning produces the <rr> spellings:

    Word Analysis
    referred refer + r + ed
       
       
       
       
Show Answer
  1. irr_igationinterr_uptirr_itateunderr_atedoverr_ipeconferr_ingpreferr_edtransferr_ingreferr_edscarr_edarr_angeirr_esponsiblearr_estcorr_ectlyirr_egularsurr_enderedarr_ivalcorr_uptioncorr_espondsurr_oundings
  2. Word Analysis
    overripe over + ripe
    interrupt inter + rupt
    underrated under + rated
    surrendered sur + rendered
    surroundings sur + roundings
  3. Word Analysis
    referred refer + r + ed
    conferring confer + r + ing
    scarred scar + r + ed
    preferred prefer + r + ed
    transferring transfer + r + ing

Spelling <rr> and Assimilation

Most of the time [r] is spelled <r>, but not always. Sometimes [r] is spelled <rr> due to simple addition, twinning, or even assimilation.

Examples

When the prefixes ad-com-, and in- are added to stems that start with an <r>, they assimilate to ar-cor-, and ir-.

For example, the following words show assimilation.

Word Analysis: Prefix + Stem
irrigation n + r + rigation
arrest d+ r + rest
correctly co m + r + rectly

Review

Here are twenty words that all contain <rr>.

irrigationinterruptirritateunderratedoverripeconferringpreferredtransferringreferredscarredarrangeirresponsiblearrestcorrectlyirregularsurrenderedarrivalcorruptioncorrespondsurroundings

Five of these twenty words have <rr> because of simple addition and five of them have <rr> because of twinning. Find these ten in the list above and cross them off.

Ten of the twenty words above with [r] spelled <rr> start with an assimilated form of ad-, com-, or in-. Find them, write them in the left column below, and analyze them to show the assimilation that leads to the <rr>.

Word Analysis: Prefix + Stem
2. irrigation n + r + rigation
3.   
4.    
5.    
6.    
7.    
8.    
9.    
10.    
11.    

The following words each contain two prefixes and a stem with at least one instance of [r]. See if you can analyze them to show where the <rr> comes from in those where it occurs.

Word Prefix1 Prefix2 Stem
12. incorrect = + +
13. unirritable = + +
14. overirrigated = + +
15. uncorrupted = + +
16. rearresting = + +
17. nonsupportive = + +
18. disarranged = + +
19. irresponsibly = + +
20. unsurprising = + +
21. reinterpret = + +
22. noninterrupted = + +
23. disinterested = + +
Show Answer

1. irrigationinterruptirritateunderratedoverripeconferringpreferredtransferringreferredscarredarrangeirresponsiblearrestcorrectlyirregularsurrenderedarrivalcorruptioncorrespondsurroundings

Word Analysis: Prefix + Stem
2. irrigation n + r + rigation
3. arrest d+ r + rest
4. arrival d + r + rival
5. correctly co m + r + rectly
6. corruption co m+ r + ruption
7. irritate n + r + ritate
8. arrange d + r + range
9. irregular n + r + regular
10. correspond co m + r + respond
11. irresponsible n + r + responsible
Word Prefix1 Prefix1 Stem
12. incorrect in co m + r rect
13. unirritable un n + r ritable
14. overirrigated over n+ r rigated
15. uncorrupted un co m+ r rupted
16. rearresting re d+ r resting
17. nonsupportive non su b+ p portive
18. disarranged dis d+ r rested
19. irresponsibly n+ r re sponsibly
20. unsurprising un sur prising
21. reninterpret re inter pret
22. noninterrupted non inter rupted
23. disinterested dis inter ested

The Sound [r] and the VCC Pattern

In the VCV pattern, the first vowel will usually be long; but in the VCC pattern, the vowel will usually be short.

Vowels before [r] are often pronounced differently from the way they are pronounced before other consonant sounds. This difference is most noticeable in VCV words in which the consonant is [r] spelled <r>. For instance, the <a> in dare spells a sound quite different from that spelled by the <a> in words like date, dame, and dale. In dare the <a> spells a sound close to [e].

There is variation, too, in VCC strings in which the CC is <rr>. For instance, in some people's pronunciation the words merry and marry sound exactly alike, but in other people's pronunciation they sound different from one another.

Examples

Here are some words with <rr> in VCC patterns. Read them and pronounce them. Listen carefully to see if you can hear which short vowel is right in front of the [r]. Sometimes it can be a bit hard to decide, so don't be too discouraged if you have a little trouble with it. The spelling is a major clue.

Review

  1. narrowmarriagemerrymirrorsorrowerrorcarriageterriblesorryborrowcarryterritorymarryterrifyraspberryarrowterracenarrativehorriblecherrytomorrowsparrowbarrelerrand
    Words with <rr> following a ...
    short <a>, [a] short <e>, [e]
           
           
           
           
           
    Words with <rr> following a ...
    short <i>, [i] short <o>, [o]
           
           
  2. Most of the time (99%), [r] is spelled either ________ or _________.
  3. You have worked with four different things that sometimes lead to <rr> in a word. The first one is simple addition. What are the other three?
Show Answer
  1.  
    Words with <rr> following a ...
    short <a>, [a] short <e>, [e]
    narrow carriage terrace terrible
    marry carry error territory
    marriage barrel terrify cherry
    narrative arrow merry errand
    sparrow   raspberry  
    Words with <rr> following a ...
    short <i>, [i] short <o>, [o]
    mirror sorrow tomorrow horrible
      sorry borrow  
  2. Most of the time (99%), [r] is spelled either <r> or <rr> .
  3. You have worked with four different things that sometimes lead to <rr> in a word. The first one is simple addition. What are the other three?
    assimilationtwinningVCC

[r] Spelled <wr> or <rh>

There are four ways of spelling [r]. They are <r>, <rr>, <wr>, and <rh>.

The spellings <wr> and <rh> occur in very few words.

In the spelling <rw>, several hundred years ago both the <r> and the <w> were pronounced, but in time people simplified things and quit pronouncing the <w>. Words in which [r] is spelled <wr> all come from the German side of our language's family.

In some words that come from Greek, [r] is spelled <rh>. The Greek alphabet contained a letter called rho, pronounced [rō]. When Greek words were written in our alphabet, the rho was represented by <rh>.

Examples

Here are the most common words in which <wr> occurs.

writewrongwrotewrittenwrapwreckwreathwrathwrenchwrestlewrinklewristwretchwringwrenwriggle

The most common words with <rh> are these.

rhymerhinestonerhinocerosrheostatrheumatismrhetoricrhythmrhapsodyrhubarb

Review

Use the following words to answer the questions below.

writewrongwrotewrittenwrapwreckwreathwrathwrenchwrestlewrinklewristwrenchwringwrenwriggle

  1. In what part of the word do you find the <wr>? _________.
  2. Three of the words have to do with putting words down on paper. The three are ________, ________, and _________.
  3. You can use a _________ to loosen a nut and bolt.
  4. When two cars run into one another, it is called a ___________.
  5. Your hand is connected to your arm at the _________.
  6. At Christmas some people put a __________ on their door.
  7. You use an iron to remove __________ from your clothes.
  8. If an answer is not right, it is ___________.
  9. Rewrite the sixteen <wr> words in alphabetical order.
  10. Arrange these nine words in alphabetical order.
    rhymerhinestonerhinocerosrheostatrheumatismrhetoricrhythmrhapsodyrhubarb
  11. In the word rhinoceros the first element, rhino, in Greek meant “nose,” and the second element, ceros, meant “horn.” So rhinoceros meant what? __________________________.
  12. In the word rhapsody the first element, rhaps, meant “stitch, sew,” and the second element, ody meant “song.” So rhapsody meant what? __________________________.
  13. You have worked with four ways of spelling [r]. They are ______, _______, _______, and ________.
  14. Of these four spellings which is the most common? _______.
  15. Which is the second most common? ________.
  16. Which are the two least common? ________ and _________.
Show Answer
  1. In what part of the word do you find the <wr>? at the front.
  2. Three of the words have to do with putting words down on paper. The three are writewrote, and written.
  3. You can use a wrench to loosen a nut and bolt.
  4. When two cars run into one another, it is called a wreck .
  5. Your hand is connected to your arm at the wrist .
  6. At Christmas some people put a wreath on their door.
  7. You use an iron to remove wrinkles from your clothes.
  8. If an answer is not right, it is wrong.
  9. Rewrite the sixteen <wr> words in alphabetical order.
    1. wrap
    2. wrath
    3. wreath
    4. wreck
    5. wren
    6. wrench
    7. wrestle
    8. wretch
    9. wriggle
    10. wring
    11. wrinkle
    12. wrist
    13. write
    14. written
    15. wrong
    16. wrote
  10. Arrange these nine words in alphabetical order.
    1. rhapsody
    2. rheostat
    3. rhetoric
    4. rheumatism
    5. rhinestone
    6. rhinoceros
    7. rhubarb
    8. rhyme
    9. rhythm
  11. In the word rhinoceros the first element, rhino, in Greek meant “nose,” and the second element, ceros, meant “horn.” So rhinoceros meant what? (the animal with) a horn on its nose.
  12. In the word rhapsody the first element, rhaps, meant “stitch, sew,” and the second element, ody, meant “song.” So rhapsody meant what? a sewing together of songs.
  13. You have worked with four ways of spelling [r]. They are <r> , <rr><wr> , and <rh>.
  14. Of these four spellings which is the most common? <r>.
  15. Which is the second most common? <rr>.
  16. Which are the two least common? <wr> and <rh>.

This page titled 2.21: The Consonant Sound [r] is shared under a CC BY-NC license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by CK-12 Foundation via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.

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