When a single vowel is followed by an R, the vowel becomes long. This new vowel sound is unique because many of the vowels sound the same and can confuse the student.
The UR sound: fur, fir, her, worm, burn, bird, were, work. See List #20.
The OR sound: sword, born, worn. See List #21.
The AH sound: bar, arm. This vowel sound sometimes also occurs with a following L, as in palm and calm. See List #22.
When the Y is followed by R, we can have three sounds: pyrite, pyramid, myrtle. See List #23.
But there is an anomaly: bury is pronounced berry.
LIST #20. The ER sound
|
UR |
IR |
ER |
|
|
lurch |
birch |
perch |
|
|
curt |
dirt |
pert |
|
|
burst |
birth |
berth |
|
|
fur |
fir |
her |
|
|
blur |
stir |
term |
|
|
hurt |
shirt |
herd |
|
|
gurgle |
squirm |
external |
|
|
turnip |
third |
permit |
|
|
surgery |
twirl |
certain |
|
|
murmur |
flirting |
concern |
|
LIST #21. The OR sound
|
OR |
OR |
ORE |
|
|
or |
uniform |
ore |
|
|
for |
transform |
store |
|
|
born |
tortoise |
wore |
|
|
corn |
torture |
pore |
|
|
cord |
northern |
ore |
|
|
cork |
record |
more |
|
|
pork |
forgot |
chore |
|
|
lord |
scorpion |
before |
|
|
morning |
corpse |
foreman |
|
|
ordinary |
storage |
ignore |
Notes: Quarter and corps (pronounced core) are the oddities in this group.
The OR sound can also be produced by vowel combinations discussed elsewhere.
LIST #22. The AR-AH sound
|
AR |
AL |
||
|
arc |
arcade |
target |
palm |
|
ark |
barber |
barley |
calm |
|
are |
cardinal |
garlic |
alms |
|
art |
darling |
partner |
balm |
|
arm |
farmyard |
remark |
psalm |
|
bar |
hardware |
gargle |
qualm |
|
car |
partying |
carnival |
almond |
|
arch |
depart |
farther |
embalm |
Some other words with that AH sound:
|
bra |
|
ma |
|
pa |
|
spa |
|
ah |
|
hurrah |
|
father |
LIST #23. Three YR sounds
|
byre |
myrtle |
pyramid |
|
|
gyre |
myrrh |
gypsies |
|
|
gyro |
satyr |
Kyrie |
|
|
lyre |
martyr |
lyric |
|
|
pyre |
zephyr |
syrup |
|
|
pyrite |
Valkyrie |
Egypt |
|
|
papyrus |
|||
|
styrene |
|||
|
thyroid |