AR sound

Learn the AR sound
The “ar” sound in English is a single sound, even though it’s spelled with two letters. It’s called an “r-controlled vowel” because the “r” changes the way the vowel “a” is pronounced.

Examples and Practice:
Here are some words to practice the “ar” sound:
car, far, star, arm, dark, hard, park, smart, start

Try saying these words slowly, paying attention to the position of your mouth and tongue.

The following diagram shows some words with the AR sound and some words with the ER sound. Practice saying these words. Scroll down the page for more examples.

 

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

• Saying a short “a” sound: The “ar” sound is a longer, more open vowel than the short “a” in words like “cat” or “hat."
  
• Not curling the tongue enough: The slight curl of the back of the tongue is essential for the “r” sound. If you don’t curl your tongue, it will sound more like a simple “ah” sound.
  
• Overemphasizing the “r” sound: The “r” should blend smoothly with the “a.” Don’t make it a harsh or separate sound.

When AR sounds like ER
Words where “ar” has a different sound (often /ər/ like “er” in “her”):
This usually happens when “ar” is in an unstressed syllable or before another vowel.
Examples: dollar, grammar, liar, beggar, calendar, particular, regular, similar, familiar, scholar.

Important Notes:

• R-controlled vowels: The “ar” sound is an r-controlled vowel. The “r” significantly affects the “a” sound.
• Stress: The pronunciation of “ar” can change depending on whether it’s in a stressed or unstressed syllable.
• Regional accents: There can be variations in the “ar” sound depending on the speaker’s accent. For example, some British accents don’t pronounce the “r” at the end of words.

Reading Strategy: The Sound ‘AR’
The letter ‘r’ changes the sound of the letter ‘a’ from a short sound to a different one.
How many words can you think of with ‘ar’ in the middle?

• Show Video

Pirates Say AR. (song for kids about the “ar” sound)
Practicing the /ar/ sound

• Show Video

ar words
art, card, park, arch, darkness

• Show Video

R-Controlled Vowels & Digraphs
AR Sound	Er,Ir,Ur	OR Sound
Ar,Er,Ir,Or,Ur	Ou, Ow	Oi, Oy
OO Sound

Learn the sound of the letters

Learning Short Vowels

Short Vowels
Short A	Short E	Short I
Short O	Short U	Short Vowels

Learning Long Vowels

Long Vowels
Long A	Long E	Long I
Long O	Long U	Y (vowel)
Long Vowels	Short & Long Vowels

Compare Short & Long Vowels

Short & Long Vowels
Short & Long A	Short & Long E	Short & Long I
Short & Long O	Short & Long U

Learning Consonants

Consonants
Letter B	Hard C	Soft C
Letter D	Letter F	Hard G
Soft G	Letter H	Letter J
Letter K	Letter L	Letter M
Letter N	Letter P	Letter Q
Letter R	Letter S	Letter T
Letter V	Letter W	Letter X
Letter Y	Letter Z

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