Vowels
R-controlled vowels
When r follows a vowel it changes the vowel's sound entirely: ar in “car”, or in “for”, and er, ir and ur all saying the same sound in “her”, “bird” and “turn”. These are neither long nor short, which is why readers who have only met those two categories get stuck here.
The hard part is spelling rather than reading: er, ir and ur usually sound identical, so which one a word takes has to be learned word by word. Sometimes called bossy r.
Patterns and example words
Every word below is from the word list Cody generates from, not a hand-picked sample. The count is how many words in that list carry the pattern.
ar
5,569 wordsare part parted parting parts start started starting starts large larger largest market marketed marketing markets far farther farthest car cars hard harder hardest
er
17,456 wordswere her hers other others newer over overs after longer greater number numbered numbering numbers littler another older later higher different never kinder every
ir
734 wordsfirst girl girls firm firmed firmer firmest firming firms direct directed directing directs director directors direction directions directly confirm confirmed confirming confirms circumstance circumstances
or
6,176 wordsfor or report reported reporting reports important information order ordered ordering orders form formed forming forms support supported supporting supports storied stories story sort
ur
2,315 wordsturn turned turning turns return returned returning returns future futures further furthered furthering furthers picture pictured pictures picturing measure measured measures measuring culture cultured
1 syllable r-control
1,275 wordsyour for her hers or work worked works first part parts start starts world worlds heard turn turned turns large word words far form
Curricula that teach this
Cody generates material against the scope and sequence you already teach. This skill appears in Custom Pattern Selection, Reading Simplified: 1st Grade Pathway, Reading Simplified: 2nd Grade & Up Pathway, Reading Simplified: Kindergarten Pathway, Slant System, UFLI Inspired.
Common questions
Why do er, ir and ur sound the same?
Because in most English words they are the same sound. Which spelling a word uses is a matter of that word's history, so it is learned by word rather than by rule.
Make a decodable story for this skill
Cody generates stories, word lists and worksheets constrained to the patterns a student has already been taught, so practice on r-controlled vowels does not smuggle in something they have not met yet.