Articulation: the R sound worksheets
A complete printable R sound set for 3rd grade: how-to cue card, picture cards for the start, middle and end of words, phrases, sentences, bingo, a board game, roll and say and spin and say games, a tracker, read-aloud stories and talking practice, plus a vowel R page.
The worksheets
- See it all
All My R Words
Every R practice word on one page, sorted by where the sound is: start, middle or end.
How to Say R
A cue card with a mouth picture, three simple steps, syllables to practice, and a practice ladder from the sound alone to talking.
Vowel R Words
Picture words for the five vowel R sounds: ar (car), or (door), er ir ur (bird), air (chair) and ear (deer). The letters that make each sound are underlined.
R Cards: Start of Words
Nine picture cards with R at the start of the word. The sheet is the same every time, so two copies make matching pairs.
R Cards: Middle of Words
Eight picture cards with R in the middle of the word. One blank card is left for your child to draw their own R word.
R Cards: End of Words
Nine picture cards with R at the end of the word.
R Phrases
Nine short phrases with R words in blue, each with a picture.
R Sentences
Eight real-life sentences with the R words in blue.
R Bingo
Two picture bingo boards packed with R words.
R Board Game
A board game with R words and star squares that add extra practice.
R Roll and Say
Six R pictures, one for each side of a die, with circles to color each time you say the word. Fewer has 3 circles each and More adds a second round of 6 pictures.
R Spin and Say
A paper clip spinner with R pictures and a box row for each word. Fewer, Standard or More give 6, 8 or 10 pictures.
R Practice Tracker
A ten-day tracker to record ten tries a day and the practice level.
R Read-Aloud Story
One of ten short stories packed with R words in blue, with a 3-read score. Every word with the sound is blue, so the stories give lots of practice.
R: Talk About It
Six real conversation questions, each with R words to try in the answer.
Print the whole packet
One copy of every sheet above, in order. Tap + for more copies (up to 10).
For the parent or teacher
What it is
Articulation means making speech sounds clearly. For the R sound, the tongue pulls back, the sides lift to touch the top back teeth, and the tip doesn't touch anything, with the voice on. R is one of the last sounds many children learn, so some kids are still working on it in 3rd grade. A child who is practicing R often says w instead (wabbit for rabbit). R also changes the vowel in front of it (car, bird, door), so this set includes a vowel R page. These sheets climb the same ladder speech therapists use: the sound alone, then syllables, words, phrases, sentences, reading and everyday talking. Common Core doesn't cover speech sounds, so these sheets have no Common Core code.
What comes next
Use the read-aloud stories and talk sheets to carry a clear R into everyday speech, or practice the next sound.
How to teach it
- Use a mirror so your child can see the lips stay relaxed, not rounded like w.
- Growl like a tiger (grrr) to find the sound, then add a vowel: grrr-ah.
- Practice a little most days. Short, focused tries are easier to keep up than one long session.
- Climb the ladder. Move up a step when your child gets about 8 out of 10 right.
- Start with R at the beginning of words, then add middle and end.
Common mistakes
- Saying w for r. Smile a little so the lips don't round, and go back to a long growl.
- Letting the tongue tip touch the top teeth or the bump behind them. The tip floats.
- Moving up too fast. If R slips in sentences, practice phrases for a few more days.
- If your child is hard to understand, frustrated when talking, or not improving, ask a speech-language pathologist for an evaluation.