The Letter R
The letter r makes the sound heard in the words red, run and very; this is the only sound it makes. This consonant sound ranks in the very common category along with its counterparts the letter n and t. The combination of the letters r and h results in a silent h, only the r is heard, e.g., rhinoceros and rhythm.
The letter r can modify vowels. When a vowel precedes the letter r, the vowel may sound different than it otherwise would. We like to refer to this as the bossy R. The table below illustrates the differences.
| Bossy R | Typically Vowel Sounds |
|---|---|
| car | cab, can, cap, cash & cat |
| fern | fell, fend, fleck & fled |
| fir | fib, fig, fill, fit, fin & finch |
| corn | cob, cod, cop & cot |
| purse | puff, pug, pump, pun & punt |
Letter R Worksheets
We created worksheets to help your child practice forming the letter r correctly. Ideally, letters should be formed from top to bottom and left to right with a continuous stroke when possible. The uppercase R is formed as follows: down, lift, around and slant right. The lowercase r is formed as follows: down, up and over.
Letter R Worksheet 1
We offer a free printable worksheet that encourages a child to say, trace and write the upper- and lowercase letter r.
Letter R Worksheet 2
We offer a free printable worksheet that focuses on the uppercase letter r. We encourage a child to say, trace and write the uppercase letter r.
Letter R Worksheet 3
We offer a free printable worksheet that focuses on the lowercase letter r. We encourage a child to say, trace and write the lowercase letter r.
Letter R Worksheet 4
We offer a free printable worksheet that encourages a child to say, trace and write the upper- and lowercase letter r.
Letter R Worksheet 5
We offer a free printable worksheet that encourages a child to say, trace and write the upper- and lowercase letter r.
Letter R Worksheet 6
We offer a free printable worksheet that encourages a child to say, trace and write the upper- and lowercase letter r. We also included a fun game – circle the items that begin with the letter r.
Words with the Letter R
The table below contains a list of words with the letter r. We also indicate the location of the /r/ sound – beginning (initial), middle (medial) or ending (final). Our list contains 310 words; please use our search feature to narrow results.
| Letter R Words | Sound |
|---|---|
| after | final |
| arm | medial |
| around | medial |
| art | medial |
| bar | final |
| bard | medial |
| bare | final |
| barge | medial |
| bark | medial |
| barn | medial |
| bear | final |
| beer | final |
| berm | medial |
| bird | final |
| birth | medial |
| blare | final |
| blur | final |
| blurt | medial |
| boor | final |
| bore | final |
| born | medial |
| burlap | medial |
| burly | medial |
| burn | medial |
| burp | medial |
| car | final |
| card | medial |
| care | final |
| carp | medial |
| carpet | medial |
| carrot | medial |
| carry | medial |
| cart | medial |
| chair | final |
| char | final |
| charge | medial |
| charm | medial |
| chart | medial |
| chord | medial |
| chore | final |
| church | medial |
| churn | medial |
| circus | medial |
| Clark | medial |
| clear | final |
| clerk | medial |
| cord | medial |
| core | final |
| cork | medial |
| corn | medial |
| curb | final |
| cure | final |
| curl | medial |
| curse | medial |
| curt | medial |
| dare | final |
| dark | medial |
| darn | medial |
| dart | medial |
| dear | final |
| deer | final |
| dirt | medial |
| dorm | medial |
| fair | final |
| far | final |
| fare | final |
| farm | medial |
| father | final |
| fear | final |
| fern | medial |
| fir | final |
| fire | final |
| firm | medial |
| first | medial |
| flair | final |
| flare | final |
| flirt | medial |
| for | final |
| ford | medial |
| fore | final |
| fork | medial |
| form | medial |
| fort | medial |
| fur | final |
| furl | medial |
| gear | final |
| germ | medial |
| girl | final |
| girth | medial |
| glare | final |
| gore | final |
| gorilla | medial |
| guard | medial |
| hair | final |
| hard | medial |
| hare | final |
| hark | medial |
| harm | medial |
| heart | medial |
| her | final |
| hire | final |
| horn | medial |
| hurl | medial |
| hurt | medial |
| jar | final |
| jeer | final |
| krill | medial |
| lair | final |
| lard | medial |
| large | medial |
| lark | medial |
| leer | final |
| lord | medial |
| lure | final |
| mare | final |
| mark | medial |
| Mars | medial |
| marsh | final |
| mart | medial |
| merge | medial |
| mirth | medial |
| moor | final |
| more | final |
| morning | medial |
| mother | final |
| motor | final |
| near | final |
| nerve | medial |
| norm | medial |
| nurse | medial |
| other | final |
| our | final |
| over | final |
| pair | final |
| par | final |
| pare | final |
| park | medial |
| part | medial |
| pear | final |
| peer | final |
| poor | final |
| porch | medial |
| pore | final |
| pork | medial |
| port | medial |
| pure | final |
| purr | final |
| purse | medial |
| quirk | medial |
| rabbit | initial |
| raccoon | initial |
| race | initial |
| rack | initial |
| radio | initial |
| radish | initial |
| railroad | initial |
| rain | initial |
| rainbow | initial |
| raincoat | initial |
| raisin | initial |
| rake | initial |
| rare | final |
| raspberry | initial |
| rat | initial |
| rattle | initial |
| rattlesnake | initial |
| raw | initial |
| ray | initial |
| reach | initial |
| read | initial |
| ready | initial |
| real | initial |
| rear | final |
| reason | initial |
| rectangle | initial |
| red | initial |
| referee | initial |
| refrigerator | initial |
| remember | initial |
| rent | initial |
| reply | initial |
| report | initial |
| reptile | initial |
| rescue | initial |
| rest | initial |
| return | initial |
| ribbon | initial |
| rice | initial |
| rich | initial |
| riddle | initial |
| ride | initial |
| right | initial |
| ring | initial |
| rip | initial |
| rise | initial |
| river | initial |
| road | initial |
| roar | initial |
| rob | initial |
| robin | initial |
| robot | initial |
| rock | initial |
| rocket | initial |
| rocking chair | initial |
| roll | initial |
| roof | initial |
| room | initial |
| rooster | initial |
| rope | initial |
| rose | initial |
| rough | initial |
| round | initial |
| row | initial |
| rowboat | initial |
| rub | initial |
| rubber | initial |
| rubber band | initial |
| rug | initial |
| rule | initial |
| ruler | initial |
| run | initial |
| scar | final |
| scare | final |
| scorch | medial |
| score | final |
| scorn | medial |
| sear | final |
| search | medial |
| serge | medial |
| serve | medial |
| shard | medial |
| share | final |
| shark | medial |
| shear | final |
| shirk | medial |
| shirt | medial |
| shore | final |
| shorn | medial |
| short | medial |
| sir | final |
| skirt | medial |
| slur | final |
| smart | medial |
| smear | final |
| smirk | medial |
| snare | final |
| sneer | final |
| snore | final |
| snort | medial |
| sore | final |
| sort | medial |
| spar | final |
| spare | final |
| spark | medial |
| spear | final |
| spire | final |
| spore | final |
| sport | medial |
| spur | final |
| spurn | medial |
| spurt | medial |
| square | final |
| squirt | medial |
| stair | final |
| star | final |
| stare | final |
| stark | medial |
| start | medial |
| steer | final |
| stern | medial |
| stir | final |
| store | final |
| stork | medial |
| storm | medial |
| story | medial |
| sure | final |
| swear | final |
| swerve | medial |
| sword | medial |
| swore | final |
| sworn | medial |
| tar | final |
| tart | medial |
| tear | final |
| term | medial |
| their | final |
| third | final |
| thorn | medial |
| tire | final |
| torch | medial |
| tore | final |
| torn | medial |
| turn | medial |
| verb | medial |
| verge | medial |
| verse | medial |
| very | medial |
| ware | final |
| water | final |
| wear | final |
| whir | final |
| wire | final |
| word | medial |
| wore | final |
| worn | medial |
| yard | medial |
| yarn | medial |
| year | final |
| York | medial |
| your | final |
To Whom It May Concern:
I want to thank you for the free printable worksheets, activities, and resources you offer. They help my students build their skills and understanding.
I thought you should know there is a typo with one of the letter R worksheets; Letter R Worksheet #6. The part where a child is to circle the items that begin with the letter r reads the letter s, instead.
Thanks, again, and keep up the good work!