R blends word list
Printable list of r-blend words · 2 pages
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R-blends put a consonant in front of r: br, cr, dr, fr, gr, pr and tr. In crab you hear /k/ and /r/ before the vowel, so the word has four sounds.
This list gives about 50 r-blend words, all with a short vowel, so the r is never part of the vowel (that's the r-controlled pattern in car and bird, taught later). Grouping by blend lets your child practice one blend at a time.
Watch tr and dr: many children hear them as "chr" and "jr", and spell truck as chruck. That's a real feature of how we say those sounds, so say the word slowly and point to the t or d.
Tips for using it
- If tr sounds like ch to your child, have them say t-ruck slowly with a tiny pause.
- Pair r-blends with their CVC base words: rip/trip, rag/drag, rib/crib.
Variations
All consonant blends word listQuestions
What are r blends?
R blends are consonant blends that end in r: br, cr, dr, fr, gr, pr and tr, as in brick, crab, drip, frog, grin, press and trap.
Are r blends the same as r-controlled vowels?
No. In an r-blend the r comes before the vowel and keeps its own sound (frog). In an r-controlled vowel the r comes after the vowel and changes it (far, fur).