The English R: How to Pronounce R in British English
How to make the sound, and when British English doesn’t pronounce it at all.
The English R is very different from the R in German, French, Spanish or Italian. In British English, it is also silent in many words. Learn how to make it and when to use it.
How to Make the English R
The English R is soft. Nothing vibrates, and nothing touches.
1Tongue, lips, no contact
- Raise the tip of your tongue towards the ridge behind your top teeth, and curl it back a little.
- Don’t let it touch anything. There is no tap, no trill and no friction.
- Round your lips slightly, as if you were starting a /w/.
- Use your voice and move straight into the vowel: red, road, right.
Tip: Start from /w/. Say wed, then pull your tongue back without changing your lips. You get red.
2What it is not
| Language | Typical R | What to change |
|---|---|---|
| German, French | made at the back of the throat | move it to the front of the mouth |
| Spanish, Italian, Russian | rolled or tapped with the tongue tip | keep the tongue still, don’t touch |
| Japanese, Chinese, Korean | close to /l/ | no tongue contact at all |
When Is R Pronounced?
Standard British English is non-rhotic: you only pronounce R when a vowel sound comes next.
1R before a vowel: pronounce it
- red
- very /ˈveri/
- around
- story
- carry
- three /θriː/
- train
2R after a vowel: silent
| Word | British English | Not |
|---|---|---|
| car | /kɑː/ | /kɑːr/ |
| door | /dɔː/ | /dɔːr/ |
| bird | /bɜːd/ | /bɜːrd/ |
| teacher | /ˈtiːtʃə/ | /ˈtiːtʃər/ |
| here | /hɪə/ | /hɪr/ |
| park | /pɑːk/ | /pɑːrk/ |
3Vowel + R spellings
When R is silent, the vowel before it changes. These spellings give you long vowels and diphthongs:
| Spelling | Sound | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| ar | /ɑː/ | car, park, start |
| or, oor, ore, our | /ɔː/ | door, more, four, sport |
| er, ir, ur, (w)or | /ɜː/ | her, bird, turn, work |
| ear, eer, ere | /ɪə/ | near, beer, here |
| air, are, ear | /eə/ | hair, care, wear |
| -er, -or (unstressed) | /ə/ | teacher, doctor, better |
Linking R and Intrusive R
The silent R comes back when the next word starts with a vowel.
1Linking R
A silent final R is pronounced when the next word begins with a vowel sound. This keeps speech smooth.
| Phrase | Sounds like |
|---|---|
| far away | /fɑːr əˈweɪ/ |
| four apples | /fɔːr ˈæplz/ |
| after all | /ˈɑːftər ˈɔːl/ |
| where is it? | /ˈweər ɪz ɪt/ |
| better idea | /ˈbetər aɪˈdɪə/ |
2Intrusive R
Many British speakers also add an R between two vowels where there is no R in the spelling. You don’t have to do this, but it helps to recognise it.
- law and order /ˈlɔːr ən ˈɔːdə/
- the idea of it
- Asia and Africa
- drawing /ˈdrɔːrɪŋ/
Practice
Train the sound first, then the contrasts with /w/ and /l/.
1R vs W, R vs L
| /r/ | /w/ | /r/ | /l/ |
|---|---|---|---|
| red | wed | right | light |
| ripe | wipe | grass | glass |
| rest | west | fry | fly |
| ray | way | correct | collect |
| rain | Wayne | pray | play |
2Sentences
- Robert ran around the red car park.
- Are you ready? We’re far away from the river.
- Her brother bought four apples and a pear.
- The teacher’s car is over there.
- Three hundred and thirty-three trains a day.
3Tip for German speakers
Tip: Good news: in words like Lehrer or Bier, German already „drops“ the R and uses a vowel, much like British English does in teacher or beer. The main work is the R before a vowel: red, very, around. Keep it in the front of the mouth, not in the throat.
Check Yourself
Decide if you pronounce the R, then open the answer.
-
Is the R pronounced in car?
Show answer
No: /kɑː/
-
Is the R pronounced in carry?
Show answer
Yes: /ˈkæri/. A vowel follows the R.
-
Is the R pronounced in car engine?
Show answer
Yes. This is a linking R: /kɑːr ˈendʒɪn/
-
Is the R pronounced in water?
Show answer
No: /ˈwɔːtə/
-
Is the R pronounced in Water is life?
Show answer
Yes: /ˈwɔːtər ɪz/. Linking R before is.
-
Which sound does -ar make in start?
Show answer
Long /ɑː/, with no R: /stɑːt/
Keep Practising
Related pages in the Pronunciation Studio.
Soft, Front and Only Before Vowels
Make the R with your tongue, not your throat, and only pronounce it when a vowel follows. These two changes make a big difference to how British your English sounds.
Before a vowel: R. After a vowel: no R.
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