--- title: Basic R-Controlled Vowels description: Learn what r-controlled vowels are, how the letter r changes vowel sounds, and how Hoot Reading teaches children to read these patterns. --- [Skip to content](https://www.hootreading.com/support-hub/early-word-reading/r-controlled-vowels#main-content) [Contact Us](https://www.hootreading.com/support-hub/kb-tickets/new?hsLang=en) [![logo-black-no-padding.png\]](https://www.hootreading.com/hs-fs/hubfs/logo-black-no-padding.png?width=100&height=83&name=logo-black-no-padding.png)](https://www.hootreading.com/?hsLang=en) - [Families](https://www.hootreading.com/family-memberships) - [Schools & Districts](https://www.hootreading.com/high-impact-tutoring) Show submenu for Schools & Districts - [High-Impact Tutoring](https://www.hootreading.com/high-impact-tutoring) - [Reading Intervention](https://www.hootreading.com/reading-intervention) - [Assessments & Reporting](https://www.hootreading.com/assessments-and-reporting) - [Our Impact](https://www.hootreading.com/our-impact) - [Blog](https://learn.hootreading.com/blog) - [Teach With Hoot](https://www.hootreading.com/teach-with-hoot) Open main navigation Close main navigation - [Families](https://www.hootreading.com/family-memberships) - [Schools & Districts](https://www.hootreading.com/high-impact-tutoring) Show submenu for Schools & Districts - [High-Impact Tutoring](https://www.hootreading.com/high-impact-tutoring) - [Reading Intervention](https://www.hootreading.com/reading-intervention) - [Assessments & Reporting](https://www.hootreading.com/assessments-and-reporting) - [Our Impact](https://www.hootreading.com/our-impact) - [Blog](https://learn.hootreading.com/blog) - [Teach With Hoot](https://www.hootreading.com/teach-with-hoot) - [Contact Us](https://www.hootreading.com/support-hub/kb-tickets/new) Hello. How can we help you? - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [Hoot Reading Support Hub](https://www.hootreading.com/support-hub?hsLang=en) 2. [Families](https://www.hootreading.com/support-hub/families?hsLang=en) 3. [Hoot Early Word Reading Units](https://www.hootreading.com/support-hub/families?hsLang=en#hoot-early-word-reading-units) # Basic R-Controlled Vowels ## Learn what r-controlled vowels are, how the letter r changes vowel sounds, and how Hoot helps children read words with these patterns. ### What are Basic R-Controlled Vowels? R-controlled vowels are vowel sounds that change when a vowel is followed by the letter r. Instead of making a short or long vowel sound, the vowel and the r" work together to make one new sound. At this stage, children learn three common r-controlled vowel sounds: - **/ar/** as in **car** - **/or/** as in **fork** - **/er/** as in **herd**, **bird**, and **hurt** The /er/ sound can be spelled in different ways (er, ir, ur), but it is pronounced the same in all of these words. When reading r-controlled vowel words, your child's teacher will help them learn to treat the vowel and r together as one sound, rather than trying to separate the sounds. For example, in the word *card*, the sounds are → /c/ – /ar/ – /d/. ### What a Basic R-Controlled Vowels Lesson Might Look Like In a lesson focused on r-controlled vowels, your child’s teacher will help them recognize how the letter r changes the vowel sound and how to read these patterns smoothly. These lessons build on earlier phonics skills, including short vowels and long vowels, while introducing a new and important spelling pattern. A basic r-controlled vowel lesson may include: 1. Using a Hoot Wise Words book to introduce the r-controlled vowel sound in isolated words and hear how it differs from other vowels 2. Using a whiteboard to show how the r changes a vowel sound and how it’s different from short and long vowels 3. Reading a Hoot Decodable book that focuses on r-controlled vowels, helping children spot vowel + r combinations within words 4. Re-reading the same Hoot Decodable text using the fluency practice page to build smooth and accurate reading As children read, teachers help them apply the correct vowel sound and gently prompt them if they revert to a short or long vowel sound. These moments are also opportunities to celebrate how many different word patterns your child can now read. ### Why this Skill Matters R-controlled vowels are an important step toward reading more complex words. Learning this pattern helps children decode words with various vowel sounds that change based on spelling patterns. By the time your child reaches this unit, they can apply phonics rules to a wider range of words, including those with [short vowels](https://www.hootreading.com/support-hub/early-word-reading/short-vowels?hsLang=en), [long vowels](https://www.hootreading.com/support-hub/early-word-reading/long-vowels?hsLang=en), [blends](https://www.hootreading.com/support-hub/early-word-reading/blends?hsLang=en), and now r-controlled vowels. An exciting milestone in their reading development! ### Resources Used in Lesson to Teach Basic R-Controlled Vowels --- #### [**Hoot Wise Words | /er/ ur**](https://www.hootreading.com/hubfs/Parent%20Knowledge%20Base/er%20ur%20-%20cropped.pdf.pdf?hsLang=en) --- #### [**Hoot Decodables | Back in the Surf**](https://www.hootreading.com/hubfs/Parent%20Knowledge%20Base/Back%20in%20the%20Surf%20-%20cropped.pdf.pdf?hsLang=en) - [Families](https://www.hootreading.com/support-hub/families?hsLang=en#main-content) - [About Hoot Reading](https://www.hootreading.com/support-hub/families?hsLang=en#about-hoot-reading) - [Registration & Account Setup](https://www.hootreading.com/support-hub/families?hsLang=en#registration-account-setup) - [Using the Hoot Reading App](https://www.hootreading.com/support-hub/families?hsLang=en#using-the-hoot-reading-app) - [Lessons, Scheduling & Attendance](https://www.hootreading.com/support-hub/families?hsLang=en#lessons-scheduling-attendance) - [Plans, Billing & Subscriptions](https://www.hootreading.com/support-hub/families?hsLang=en#plans-billing-subscriptions) - [How Hoot Reading Works](https://www.hootreading.com/support-hub/families?hsLang=en#how-hoot-reading-works) - [Hoot Pre-Word Reading Units](https://www.hootreading.com/support-hub/families?hsLang=en#hoot-pre-word-reading-units) - [Hoot Early Word Reading Units](https://www.hootreading.com/support-hub/families?hsLang=en#hoot-early-word-reading-units) - [Hoot Complex Word Reading Units](https://www.hootreading.com/support-hub/families?hsLang=en#hoot-complex-word-reading-units) - [Hoot Text Reading Units](https://www.hootreading.com/support-hub/families?hsLang=en#hoot-text-reading-units) - [Teachers](https://www.hootreading.com/support-hub/teachers?hsLang=en#main-content) - [About Hoot](https://www.hootreading.com/support-hub/teachers?hsLang=en#about-hoot) - [Troubleshooting the App](https://www.hootreading.com/support-hub/teachers?hsLang=en#troubleshooting-the-app) - [Hoot Policies](https://www.hootreading.com/support-hub/hoot-policies?hsLang=en#main-content) - [User Policies](https://www.hootreading.com/support-hub/hoot-policies?hsLang=en#user-policies) [![logo-black-no-padding](https://www.hootreading.com/hs-fs/hubfs/logo-black-no-padding.png?width=100&height=83&name=logo-black-no-padding.png "logo-black-no-padding")](https://www.hootreading.com/?hsLang=en) www.hootreading.com Help Center Copyright © 2025, Hoot Reading Inc.