ER Sound Words

Please note: some r-controlled vowel sound generalisations may vary based on accent/dialect. Wordabase has been built from an Australian accent perspective.

R-Controlled ER at a glance:

• Words with er sound include verb, mermaid, her
• Words with or sound include word, worse, worthy
• Words with ur sound include urn, purple, blur
• Words with ir sound include bird, girl, stir

Spelling Frequencies:

• er - 72% (includes words with ‘er’ schwa at the end of the word)
• or - 12% (includes words with ‘or’ schwa at the end of the word)
• ur - 8%
• ir - 4%

Rare Spelling Patterns:

• ear (learn)
• our (journey)

Common Spelling Generalisations or Patterns:

• ur is used at the beginning, middle or end of a word e.g. urn, surf, fur
• ir is mostly used in the middle of words e.g. bird, firm, squirt, thirsty
• or is mostly used in the middle of words and usually comes after a ‘w’ e.g. word, work, worth
• er is mostly used in the middle or end of words e.g. term, perch, her
• er usually makes a schwa sound at the end of words e.g. mother, doctor
• ‘er’ can be a suffix e.g. faster, farmer, louder