English Pronunciation: Pronounce the American R Sound. Learn to speak clearly by watching videos and learning all American English pronunciation rules. Learning these rules and practicing every day will give you complete accent training. Learn to reduce your accent and sound like a native speaker.

English Online with Speak Method
Sign in here Sign Out

Online Classes	500 Words Pronunciation	750 Words Pronunciation	R, Th, T and other sounds
Local Classes	Pronunciation Facts	TOEFL Prep	ESL Stories
Contact us	Vowel Sounds	Grammar and Idioms	Learn by Language

500 Common English Words: R Sounds

R Sound Basics: Introduction Video

American speakers pronounce R by making the tongue tense. When the tongue is tense, the throat naturally becomes a little bit tight. Make sure that the tip of the tongue does not touch the top of the mouth.

In grade schools, American teachers compare the R to a growling sound made by a cat. If you think of that, it could help you to tense the tongue and throat in the right way.

You can also think of the consonant Y sound as in yes. With this sound, we tense the tongue just a bit. R is made in about the same way except the tongue is much more tense.

If you are not used to this R sound, you just need practice. Remember: Americans pronounce all R sounds--whether R is first, middle or last. Do you have difficulty hearing the difference between R and L? Take the online listening test.

R as 1^st letter	R in consonant letter combo.	-ere/ear (long E)	-ire (say IYR)	-er/-ir/-ur	Open -ar	Long -ar	-or
Video	Video	Video		Video	Video		Video
Rabbit	Bread	Here	Buyer	Answer	Are	Air	Before
Rain	Bring	Near	Fire	Bird	Car	Area	Course
Ran	Broom	Year	Hire	Center	Dark	Care	Door
Reach	Brought	Appear	Tire	Circle	Far	Carry	Floor
Read	Brown	Hear	Wire	Color	Farm	Chair	For
Ready	Children	Clear		Correct	Hard	Their	Force
Real	Country			Cover	Large	There	Fork
Red	Cream			Direct	Mark	Where	Form
Rest	Cross			Dirt	Part		Four
Right	Cry			During	Star		Horse
Ring	Draw			Early	Start		More
River	Dream			Earth			Morning
Road	Dress			Every			North
Rock	Drive			First			Order
Room	Dry			Girl			Port
Rope	Free			Govern			Short
Round	Friend			Heard			Story
Rule	From			Her			War
Rug	Front			Interest			Warm
Run	Great			Learn			Your
Write	Green			Letter
Test	Ground			Measure
	Group			Number
	Grow			Order
	Hundred			Other
	Press			Over
	Pretty			Paper
	Print			Person
	Problem			Picture
	Produce			Remember
	Product			River
	Street			Serve
	Strong			Sure
	Three			Water
	Travel			Were
	Tree			Word
	Truck			Work
	True			World
	Try			Worm
	Umbrella
	Test			Y + ur Sound
				figure
				pure
				cure

More Important R Facts

In standard American speech, all R's are pronounced, whether first, middle or last. You may notice that this is quite different from British English in which R's are usually silent when middle or last. Also, you may notice that Americans with certain southern accents or New York accents will drop some R sounds.

When R is the last letter, it is not pronounced as strongly.

For RL combination, pronounce RUL. For instance, for "girl" say "gir-rul." By placing a small sound there, you give yourself time to pronounce both the R and L clearly. It is also helpful to imagine a strong R or a double R when R is next to L.

For TR combination, as in "tree," pronounce almost as CHR.

Er Exception: very (pronounced with a short E as in "bed")

Test Your Knowledge

Practice articulating R sounds with reading 1 and reading 2.

Take our multiple choice test on R sounds.

Take a listening test on hearing the difference between L and R as a last letter.

Get more practice with R: R sound reading practice. Practice speaking with R and L questions.

Read more about making the R Sound.