Mr Spelling — Bossy R

Watch the Video

Download the PowerPoint

📄 Open Bossy R PowerPoint

What Is Bossy R?

When the letter R follows a vowel in the same syllable, it takes over and changes — or "bosses" — the sound that vowel makes. This is why these vowel-R combinations are called R-controlled vowels, or simply Bossy R. The five Bossy R patterns are: AR (as in car), OR (as in corn), and ER, IR, and UR — which all make the same "er" sound (as in fern, bird, and fur). Importantly, R is only bossy when it is in the same syllable as the vowel — a double R, a syllable break, or a consonant between the vowel and R can all stop Bossy R from working. Knowing these patterns helps you read and spell hundreds of common English words with confidence.

Song Lyrics

Are you ready to learn about R controlled vowels? Also known as Bossy R.

When it's after a vowel the letter R,

can change the sound of the vowel by far.

AR can say 'ar'.

'ar' as in car.

OR can say 'or'.

'or' as in fork.

ER, IR, UR can say 'ir'.

'ir' as in bird.

And now you know about Bossy R.

A can say 'a' but add the letter R.

It makes a new sound:

'ar' as in car.

barn star card march far

And now you know about Bossy R.

O can say 'o', we know that from before.

But add the letter R, and now it can say 'or'.

corn north horn sport for

These vowels are short, but I hope you infer

If you add the letter R, they now can say 'ur'.

fern germ girl third fur

The Sounds of Bossy R

R bosses all five vowels — a e i o u

R can boss all five vowels: A, E, I, O, U

The five Bossy R patterns: AR ER IR OR UR

The five Bossy R patterns — AR, ER, IR, OR, UR

AR makes the ar sound — car, farm

AR — makes the 'ar' sound (car, farm)

OR makes the or sound — corn, horn

OR — makes the 'or' sound (corn, horn)

ER makes the er sound — her, fern

ER — makes the 'er' sound (her, fern)

IR makes the er sound — bird, girl

IR — also makes the 'er' sound (bird, girl)

UR makes the er sound — fur, nurse

UR — also makes the 'er' sound (fur, nurse)

Spelling Rules for Bossy R

Double R is not bossy — carry, berry

Double R — R is not bossy when doubled (carry, berry)

Syllable Wall — R only bosses its own syllable

Syllable Wall — R can only boss the vowel in its own syllable (spi-rit, ve-ry)

W + OR changes to ur sound — word, world

W + OR — changes the sound to 'ur' (word, world)

W + AR changes to or sound — war, warm

W + AR — changes the sound to 'or' (war, warm)

Schwa + R — unstressed syllables — butter, doctor

Schwa + R — R is not bossy in some unstressed syllables (butter, doctor)

Consonant blocks R — secret, hungry

Consonant Blocks R — a consonant between the vowel and R stops it being bossy (secret, hungry)

Silent E + R Patterns

ARE — silent E makes it say air — care, share

ARE — silent E makes it say 'air' (care, share)

IRE — silent E makes it say eye-er — fire, hire

IRE — silent E makes it say 'eye-er' (fire, hire)

ORE — silent E makes it say or — more, shore

ORE — silent E makes it say 'or' (more, shore)

ERE — silent E makes it say ear — here, sphere

ERE — silent E makes it say 'ear' (here, sphere)

URE — silent E makes it say yoor — pure, cure

URE — silent E makes it say 'yoor' (pure, cure)