How to Pronounce the English R Sound (ɹ)
Learn the English R sound /ɹ/ — tongue position, lip rounding, and practice words. Includes R vs L minimal pairs for clear distinction.
EXAMPLE WORDS
COMMON MISTAKES
- Confusing R with L — 'right' becomes 'light'
- Using a trilled or tapped R from other languages
- Dropping the R in word-final position
MOST CHALLENGING FOR
STEP-BY-STEP PRACTICE
rrr
/ɹ/
Curl your tongue tip back slightly without touching the roof of your mouth. Round your lips a little.
red
/ɹɛd/
Start with curled tongue, then drop to 'ed'.
right
/ɹaɪt/
Strong tongue curl at the start.
right — light
/ɹaɪt / laɪt/
R: tongue curled back, no contact. L: tongue tip touches the ridge behind your teeth.
red — led
/ɹɛd / lɛd/
Same difference — curled back for R, touching ridge for L.
very
/ˈvɛɹi/
The R is soft in the middle — gentle tongue curl.
car
/kɑːɹ/
End with tongue pulling back slightly.
the red car runs really far
/ðə ɹɛd kɑːɹ ɹʌnz ˈɹɪəli fɑːɹ/
Multiple R positions — beginning, middle, and end of words.
RELATED DRILLS
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