R-Controlled Vowels — Answer Key
Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. Which is the correct spelling for a place where plants grow?
A) gerden
B) girden
C) garden
D) gurden
Garden uses ar in the first syllable. The correct spelling is garden, not gerden, girden, or gurden.
2. Which is the correct spelling for a big Thanksgiving bird?
A) tarkey
B) terkey
C) tirkey
D) turkey
Turkey uses ur at the start. Even though er and ir make the same /ur/ sound, the correct spelling is turkey.
3. Which is the correct spelling for the number after twenty-nine?
A) thirty
B) thurty
C) therty
D) tharty
Thirty uses ir. All three /ur/ spellings sound the same, so you must remember thirty uses ir.
4. Which is the correct spelling for a person who works on a farm?
A) farmir
B) farmur
C) farmar
D) farmer
Farmer ends in er. Even though er, ir, and ur sound alike, farmer is spelled with er at the end.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1. We planted tomatoes in the school garden.
Garden uses ar in the first syllable. Ar makes the /ar/ sound like in car and star.
2. The farmer drove his tractor around the field.
Farmer has ar like in car and er like in her. It is a two-syllable bossy R word.
3. We ate roasted turkey for dinner.
Turkey uses ur at the start. Ur makes the /ur/ sound you also hear in turn and hurt.
4. My cousin just turned thirty years old.
Thirty uses ir. Ir makes the /ur/ sound you also hear in bird and first.
5. In winter, we wear warm coats outside.
Winter ends in er. Er makes the /ur/ sound in the last syllable, like in butter and tiger.