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Vocalic R Words for Speech Therapy: Free vocalic /r/ Word List

A ready-to-use vocalic /r/ word list for articulation practice, sorted by where the sound falls in the word. Every word was picked by sound, not spelling, so it works for drill, games and carryover.

Turn these vocalic /r/ words into a worksheet in seconds

PrepPal makes a printable worksheet, picture cards, drill cards and games from your vocalic /r/ goal, themed to what your student loves. Your first material and first game are free.

Make a free worksheet with these words

45 words, sorted by position.

AR words (10)

  • carcar
  • starstar
  • jarjar
  • parkpark
  • farmfarm
  • sharkshark
  • cartcart
  • gardengarden
  • barnbarn
  • yardyard

OR words (10)

  • doordoor
  • fourfour
  • horsehorse
  • corncorn
  • forkfork
  • storestore
  • hornhorn
  • stormstorm
  • shortsshorts
  • porchporch

ER, IR, UR words (12)

  • birdbird
  • girlgirl
  • zipperzipper
  • nursenurse
  • turtleturtle
  • purplepurple
  • shirtshirt
  • wormworm
  • butterbutter
  • waterwater
  • tigertiger
  • letterletter

AIR, EAR, IRE words (13)

  • chairchair
  • bearbear
  • pearpear
  • hairhair
  • stairsstairs
  • squaresquare
  • earear
  • deerdeer
  • beardbeard
  • spearspear
  • firefire
  • tiretire
  • wirewire

vocalic /r/ sentences for carryover

  • The shark swims to the park.
  • Four horses eat corn.
  • The girl has a purple shirt.
  • The bear sat on the chair.
  • Cheer for the fire truck.

Therapy tips for vocalic /r/

  • Treat each vowel + r as its own target; 'er' often comes first.
  • Find a 'growl' or a bunched-tongue /r/ and shape it into each vowel.
  • Track each vocalic /r/ separately so progress is easy to see.

Questions SLPs ask

How many vocalic /r/ words should I practice in a session?

Aim for many quick repetitions: 50 to 100 productions in a 30-minute session is a common target for articulation drill, spread across a small set of words.

Should I start with initial, medial or final vocalic /r/?

Most SLPs start with the position the student finds easiest (often initial), then add the others. Follow the student's stimulability and the IEP goal.

Can I get these vocalic /r/ words as a printable worksheet?

Yes. PrepPal turns a vocalic /r/ goal into a printable worksheet with pictures, picture cards and digital drill cards in seconds. The first one is free.

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More free word lists

/r//s//z//l//k//g//f//v//sh//ch//j//th/s-blendsl-blendsr-blends