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  • Writer's pictureIneka Estabrook

Pronounce /r/ at the end of a word

Updated: Jul 28, 2020

To make the /r/ at the end of a word:


North American English is rhotic— the /r/ is pronounced everywhere it is written.

If you aren't aiming for the perfect British RP accent, I highly suggest you stick to the American pronunciation. It's simpler!


British English is nonrhotic—Brits only pronounce the /r/ sound when the next sound is a vowel. If the word ends in an /r/ sound, it is not pronounced, instead the vowel is longer. The exception to that is if the next word starts with a vowel.


Car is pronounced /ca:/. Car engine is pronounced /car ˈɛndʒɪn/.

 

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Practice Reading:

My brother, Alexander, is the chair of the board and the director of the consumer records department of an important car engine manufacturer, but when he was younger, he was a wreck. We never thought he’d get his career sorted out. He wore his hair long, his clothes were all black leather and ripped, and I fear he had a bit of a drinking problem. He went to the pub far too often and to his courses at uni rarely. But then he met his wife, Ginger, they married and had their daughter, Piper, and his life turned around. It was clear that we were in error that my brother would forever be a mess.

More practice with /r/:


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