R-Controlled Vowels (Bossy R) Worksheets for Grade 1

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Browse all 12 printable worksheets below — click any card to open the full page.

Easy

R-Controlled Vowels (Bossy R)

Name:

Date:

Grade: Grade 1

Part A: Trace the Words

Trace each word carefully by following the dotted lines.

1. car

2. jar

3. bar

4. far

5. star

6. arm

Part B: Fill in the Blank

Write the missing word or number on each line.

1. I drive a red  

2. Grandma keeps cookies in a glass  

3. A shiny yellow  

4. I hurt my  

Part C: True or False?

Read each statement. Circle True or False.

1. The word car has the /ar/ bossy-r sound.

T F

2. In bossy R words, the letter a says its short sound /a/ like in cat.

T F

3. Star and jar rhyme because they both end in the /ar/ sound.

T F

R-Controlled Vowels

Easy

R-Controlled Vowels (Bossy R)

Name:

Date:

Grade: Grade 1

Part A: Trace the Words

Trace each word carefully by following the dotted lines.

1. for

2. corn

3. born

4. fork

5. torn

6. horn

Part B: Fill in the Blank

Write the missing word or number on each line.

1. This present is  

2. Farmers grow yellow  

3. A baby lamb was just  

4. I use a  

Part C: True or False?

Read each statement. Circle True or False.

1. In the word corn, the letters o and r make one /or/ sound together.

T F

2. The word for rhymes with the word fox.

T F

3. Horn and born both have the bossy-r /or/ sound.

T F

R-Controlled Vowels

Easy

R-Controlled Vowels (Bossy R)

Name:

Date:

Grade: Grade 1

Part A: Trace the Words

Trace each word carefully by following the dotted lines.

1. park

2. bark

3. farm

4. harm

5. cart

6. dart

Part B: Fill in the Blank

Write the missing word or number on each line.

1. We walk the dog in the  

2. The dog will  

3. Cows live on the  

4. We push the  

Part C: True or False?

Read each statement. Circle True or False.

1. The word 'park' has the bossy-r 'ar' sound.

T F

2. The word 'harm' rhymes with 'farm'.

T F

3. The word 'dart' has a short a sound like 'cat'.

T F

R-Controlled Vowels

Easy

R-Controlled Vowels (Bossy R)

Name:

Date:

Grade: Grade 1

Part A: Trace the Words

Trace each word carefully by following the dotted lines.

1. storm

2. short

3. fort

4. sport

5. sort

6. north

Part B: Fill in the Blank

Write the missing word or number on each line.

1. Rain and wind make a big  

2. The line is not long; it is  

3. We built a  

4. Soccer is my favorite  

Part C: True or False?

Read each statement. Circle True or False.

1. The word 'north' has the 'or' bossy-r sound.

T F

2. The word 'sort' rhymes with 'short'.

T F

3. The 'o' in 'storm' says its short sound like 'hot'.

T F

R-Controlled Vowels

Medium

R-Controlled Vowels (Bossy R)

Name:

Date:

Grade: Grade 1

Part A: Fill in the Blank

Write the missing word or number on each line.

1. I gave  

2. A green  

3. Wash your hands to kill every  

4. The blue  

5. That little  

6. I  

7. I came in  

8. My new  

9. Grandpa can turn  

Part B: Matching

Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.

1. Match each item to its correct answer.

her

→

ir word with /url/

bird

→

er word for a tiny sick-maker

germ

→

er word meaning 'that female'

girl

→

ir word for an animal with wings

R-Controlled Vowels

Medium

R-Controlled Vowels (Bossy R)

Name:

Date:

Grade: Grade 1

Part A: Fill in the Blank

Write the missing word or number on each line.

1. My cat has soft gray  

2. Be careful — the stove can  

3. It is my  

4. Hot logs  

5. My little sister has one  

6. Big waves are great for riding a  

7. A  

8. I love eating sweet yellow  

9. The baby  

Part B: Matching

Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.

1. Match each item to its correct answer.

fur

→

animal's soft coat

turn

→

to cause an owie

hurt

→

to rotate or take a chance

burn

→

what fire does

R-Controlled Vowels

Medium

R-Controlled Vowels (Bossy R)

Name:

Date:

Grade: Grade 1

Part A: Fill in the Blank

Write the missing word or number on each line.

1. The  

2. Flowers grow in our  

3. My older  

4. Please put the books in  

5. In fall we gather the  

6. We sang on her  

7. Every  

8. Snow falls in the  

9. A young baby  

Part B: Matching

Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.

1. Match each item to its correct answer.

farmer

→

farm

gardener

→

garden

morning

→

morn

sister

→

sis

R-Controlled Vowels

Medium

R-Controlled Vowels (Bossy R)

Name:

Date:

Grade: Grade 1

Part A: Fill in the Blank

Write the missing word or number on each line.

1. A shiny new  

2. We played in the  

3. The rooster had a yellow  

4. A small green  

5. The little  

6. Please  

7. My pet dog loves the dog  

8. A bright red cob of  

9. My sister is a big nice  

Part B: Matching

Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.

1. Match each item to its correct answer.

-ark

→

park

-orn

→

horn

-ern

→

fern

-urn

→

burn

R-Controlled Vowels

Hard

R-Controlled Vowels (Bossy R)

Name:

Date:

Grade: Grade 1

Part A: Multiple Choice

Circle the best answer for each question.

1. Which word has the bossy-R /ar/ sound?

2. Which word uses bossy R, not a short vowel?

3. Which word matches the short-vowel sound in 'hit'?

4. Which pair shows a short vowel AND a bossy-R word?

Part B: Fill in the Blank

Write the correct answer on each line.

1. My pet  

2. A shiny red  

3. I put a shiny penny in my piggy  

4. Please don't  

5. My baby brother just learned to say the word  

R-Controlled Vowels

Hard

R-Controlled Vowels (Bossy R)

Name:

Date:

Grade: Grade 1

Part A: Multiple Choice

Circle the best answer for each question.

1. Which three words all rhyme because they share the /ur/ sound?

2. Which word has the /ar/ sound like 'star'?

3. Which word has the /or/ sound?

4. Which set of words are NOT rhymes?

Part B: Fill in the Blank

Write the correct answer on each line.

1. My puppy wags his tail and wiggles his soft  

2. The little  

3. I play catch in the yard with my dad and my toy  

4. Grandpa planted sweet yellow  

5. Please take your  

R-Controlled Vowels

Hard

R-Controlled Vowels (Bossy R)

Name:

Date:

Grade: Grade 1

Part A: Multiple Choice

Circle the best answer for each question.

1. The ___ has four wheels and drives fast.

2. A bird flew past my ___.

3. I like eating sweet ___ on the cob.

4. My little ___ lost her first tooth.

Part B: Fill in the Blank

Write the correct answer on each line.

1. The brown puppy  

2. A shooting  

3. The big  

4. She has long curly brown  

5. We sat by the warm glowing  

R-Controlled Vowels

Hard

R-Controlled Vowels (Bossy R)

Name:

Date:

Grade: Grade 1

Part A: Multiple Choice

Circle the best answer for each question.

1. Which spelling is correct for the bird word?

2. Which spelling is correct for the fur word?

3. Which spelling is correct for the her word?

4. Which spelling is correct for the turn word?

Part B: Fill in the Blank

Write the correct answer on each line.

1. A robin is a type of  

2. My cat's  

3. Please give the book to  

4. It is my  

5. A little  

R-Controlled Vowels

What's Included in This Download

What You'll Learn

These r-controlled vowels (bossy r) worksheets help grade 1 students develop essential english skills through engaging activities.

Learning Objectives

• Phonics: Recognize r-controlled vowel patterns ar, or, er, ir, ur
• Reading: Decode bossy-r words in one-syllable and two-syllable texts
• Discrimination: Tell short vowels from r-controlled
• Spelling: Use correct er/ir/ur for the /ur/ sound
• Fluency: Build automatic reading of r-controlled words

Skills Covered

How to Use These Worksheets

1. Download & Print: Click the download button to get the PDF. Print on standard 8.5" x 11" paper.
2. Start Simple: Begin with easier pages before moving to more challenging activities.
3. Daily Practice: Dedicate 10-15 minutes each day for consistent learning.
4. Use Manipulatives: Pair worksheets with physical objects like blocks or counters.
5. Provide Encouragement: Celebrate progress and effort to build confidence.
6. Check Progress: Use the included answer key to review work together.

Common Mistakes to Watch For

• Saying the short vowel sound instead of the bossy-r sound. Read 'cat' then 'car' out loud to hear the difference — same starting letters, totally different vowel sounds.
• Mixing up 'er', 'ir', and 'ur' when spelling. All three patterns say /ur/, but each word uses a specific spelling. Keep a chart grouping her/fern (er), bird/girl (ir), and fur/turn (ur).
• Forgetting that bossy r blends the two letters into ONE sound. Show your child that in 'car', the 'ar' is one sound, not two. That is two sounds total, not three.

Frequently Asked Questions

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