Learn the most accurate way to pronounce R in English

How to pronounce R correctly in English? In the article below, Prep will provide you with a detailed guide on how to pronounce R in English. Please refer to it carefully for more natural communication!

I. Letter R in English 

R is one of the letters that is quite difficult to pronounce in English. Below are some vocabulary words containing the letter R, which you can refer to:

II. How to pronounce R in English 

Here is a comprehensive explanation of how to pronounce R in English which you should thoroughly understand: 

1. R is read as /r/

The letter R in English is almost always pronounced as /r/. The pronunciation of /r/ is performed in the following steps:

• Step 1: Position your tongue just above the upper teeth, keeping it around 1-2 cm away.
• Step 2: Curve your tongue upwards and forwards to create a tight space between it and the roof of your mouth.
• Step 3: While pronouncing, push air through that space, causing the tongue to vibrate gently.
• Step 4: Aim for a clear pronunciation of the /r/ sound.
• Step 5: Repeat this process frequently, and enhance your pronunciation by listening and learning from native speakers.

How to pronounce R in American English? In American English, the letter "R" following vowels is clearly pronounced as /r/. And how to pronounce R in British English? In British English, the letter "R" after vowels is often less articulated and lighter in sound. For instance:

• “Car”:
• British English: /kɑːr/ (the final r sound is pronounced more clearly).
• American English: /kɑr/ (the final r sound is pronounced shorter).
• “Better”:
• British English: /ˈbetər/ (the r sound is pronounced with more emphasis).
• American English: /ˈbɛtər/ (the r sound is pronounced lighter).

2. R is a silent consonant 

In English, there are many cases where the sound "r" is a silent consonant, meaning it is not pronounced clearly in words. R is silent when the following sound is also a consonant, or r is the final sound in the word.

Rule to pronounce r: When the letter "r" acts as a silent consonant, the tongue is positioned for the "r" sound but without vocalizing the "r." This positioning enhances the clarity of the following sound in the word. For instance, in the word "part," place your tongue as if pronouncing the "r" but keep it still while articulating the "p" and "t" sounds. Below are some examples of how to pronounce r:

• Fork /fɔːk/
• Bird /bɜːd/ 
• Card /kɑːd/
• Burn /bɜːn/
• Warm /wɔːm/
• Storm /stɔːm/
• Start /stɑːt/

However, there are still exceptions:

• Iron /ˈaɪən/ 

3. Linking R

If a word ends with /r/ and the next word begins with a vowel, the final /r/ of the first word will be connected with the first sound of the second word (sound linking). For example:

• “Far away” – /fɑː rəˈweɪ/
• “Our aim” – /aʊə reɪm/
• “Clear ice” – /klɪə raɪs/

III. Exercises on how to pronounce r in English 

Below are some exercises for practicing pronouncing R accurately in English.

1. Exercise 1: Read the following words out loud, pay attention to the pronunciation of R

Suggestion: Please use pronunciation-checking applications to test your “r” sound accuracy. When learning pronunciation, you can also use notebooks, and notes to better remember each syllable!

2. Exercise 2: Practice the linking r with the following phrases

3. Exercise 3: Choose the word that has a different pronunciation of R

• A. red       B. hurt              C. word          D. fork
• A. curb     B. road              C. surf            D. learn
• A. room    B. road              C. read           D. career 

Keys:

• A
• B
• D

English pronunciation requires daily practice to create natural reflexes. Therefore, the harder you practice, the faster your level will improve. Above are the most accurate ways to pronounce R in English. Hopefully, the information shared above will be useful for your English pronunciation learning!