In this week’s episode of the podcast, we focus on the American /r/ sound, building it up “from scratch” by explaining how to shape your tongue and integrate it into words and sentences.
In this written companion of the podcast, you’ll find a deeper explanation of the topic, some practice material to accompany it, and the practice passage from this week’s episode.
The American /r/ Is an Approximant
The most important point to remember about the American /r/ sound is that your tongue doesn’t touch anything. This is different from languages that use a tapped or rolled /r/, as in Spanish or Italian, where your tongue makes contact somewhere behind your upper teeth.
Lingustically, the American /r/ is called an approximant. This means that instead of touching another part of the mouth, the tongue moves close to the roof of the mouth while leaving a narrow passage for the air to flow through.
There are two common ways to shape the tongue:
Retroflex /r/: The tongue tip curls slightly upward and backward.
Bunched /r/: The middle or back portion of the tongue bunches upward, while the tongue tip stays relatively low.
Both versions are acceptable. Native speakers of American English use both shapes, and you don’t need to choose the one that feels more “correct.”
What they have in common is no contact. This means that your tongue gets close, but doesn’t tap, flap, or touch the roof of your mouth.
What Else Is Happening?
The tongue isn’t working alone. Your lips usually round slightly, and the tongue creates a relatively narrow passage in the mouth. Together, these adjustments give American /r/ its characteristic deep, resonant quality.
Try holding the sound: errrrrrrrr
Don’t worry about making it perfect just yet. Instead, pay attention to the physical sensation. Your tongue should feel as though it’s getting very close to the roof of your mouth, but stopping just short.
Build the Sound From a Held /r/
Instead of trying to produce the /r/ directly inside a word, start with a long, isolated sound.
Try saying: errrrrr
Hold it for two or three seconds, and while you’re holding it, check three things:
- Your tongue is not touching the roof of your mouth.
- Your lips are slightly rounded.
- You can hold the sound continuously.
Once you can sustain the sound comfortably, attach it to simple words:
red
run
right
road
room
Try starting each word from the held /r/ position:
errrr—red
errrr—run
errrr—right
This gives your tongue time to find the correct position before you have to move into the rest of the word.
Remember that both a retroflex tongue and a bunched tongue can produce a perfectly good American /r/ sound. Native speakers themselves generally don’t use either one exclusively, and might even switch between one or the other without realizing it!
A Short Dialogue
Let’s practice a natural conversation:
A: Are you ready to leave?
B: Almost. I need to grab my red jacket.
A: The red one or the gray one?
B: The red one. It’s right over there.
A: Oh, I see it.
B: Great. Let’s go.
A: Are we driving or taking the train?
B: Let’s drive. The restaurant isn’t very far.
Sentence Practice
Now let’s put the /r/ into sentences. Start slowly, then gradually increase your natural speaking speed:
Rachel really likes red roses.
Ryan runs every morning.
The road is very crowded today.
I read the report yesterday.
We’re ready to leave.
The restaurant is around the corner.
She brought three green folders.
Frank drove across the bridge.
I really appreciate your help.
The train arrives around three.
Shadowing Passage
Now let’s try a longer passage. Listen and shadow the audio in the podcast, and as you read it, try to copy the tongue position, rhythm, and overall sound.
Ryan was ready to leave for the restaurant, but he couldn’t find his car keys. He searched the bedroom, checked the drawer, and looked under the chair. Finally, he found them right next to his red jacket. He grabbed his keys, ran downstairs, and drove across town to meet his friends.
The five-step R drill
Remember the five-step drill for developing a native-like American /r/ sound:
- Hold it: rrrrrrr
- Add vowels: ree, ray, rye, row, roo
- Practice words: red, run, right, road, room
- Add consonant combinations: tree, green, free, brown, train
- Use sentences: “The red train is running late.”
