Pronouncing the letter R

Listen to the lesson

The letter R is difficult for many English learners. I will try to provide a good explanation with many examples to help students practice pronouncing the letter R.

Instruction: To successfully make the R sound, curl the tongue upward without touching the top portion of the mouth. You should also curl the sides of the tongue upward so it is very close to the upper molars. In this position, make a roaring sound like a lion forcing air out of the nose and mouth at the same time. If you are confused about how you should position the tongue, try to make the shape of a bowl with your tongue. The sides should touch the top, but the tip of the tongue should not touch the top part of the mouth.

Here are some words and sentences to help you hear what they should sound like. Click on any word or sentence to hear the correct sound.

Racing
Road
Growl
Carry
Very
Faster

"He got a speeding ticket for racing"
"The road home is usually long and lonely"
"The dog was growling at the cat"
"She hurt her leg so he had to carry her home"
"You did a very good job"
"If the zebra doesn't run any faster, the lion will catch up"

VALENTINE'S DAY 14 FEBRUARY

What is Valentine's Day? St Valentine's Day is an annual festival to celebrate romantic love, friendship and admiration. Every year on 14 February people celebrate this day by sending messages of love and affection to partners, family and friends. Couples send Valentine's Day cards and flowersand spend special time together to honour their love for each other.

There are many guesses about how Valentine's Day, a celebration of love, started. One legend says that Valentine, being a priest, performed secret wedding ceremonies when they were outlawed by Emperor Claudius II. When someone discovered that Valentine was breaking the law, he was ordered to be executed.