English: How to Pronounce R [ɹ] Consonant: American Accent

ESL: How to pronounce the R consonant sound in American English. Pronunciation and Accent lessons and exercises on the website to help you improve your spoken English.

Cải thiện nói tiếng Anh Mỹ / 음성 미국 영어를 향상 / 話されているアメリカ英語を向上させる / Улучшение говорил американский вариант английского языка / Meningkatkan berbicara bahasa Inggris Amerika / Melhorar a fala Inglês Americano / Mejorar el habla Inglés Americano / 提高口语的美式英语 / बात अमेरिकी अंग्रेजी में सुधार / تحسين يتحدث اللغة الإنجليزية الأميركية

...with Rachel's English!

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[rachelsenglish]

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[vidrav]

Curling tongue back (or pointing just the tongue tip up) is correct. That is how most British and many American people pronounce it, and that version is called the retroflex r by language experts. Rachel belongs to a group of people who physically can make a humped 'r' (also called bunched or retracted), and which sounds very similarly to retroflex r. Curled tongue 'r' is not incorrect, in fact it is the most common form of English r. You need to adopt a form which feels most natural and comfortable to you.

[rachelsenglish]

Yes, a lot of people use the W substitute. This means the lips are in the correct position --- rounded --- but the tongue is not pulled back as it should be. Think of bringing the front part of the tongue up very close to the roof of the mouth, but make sure the tip isn't touching. Practice it much slower than in conversation to get the transition comfortable and accurate, then speed it back up.

[rachelsenglish]

I think the position can vary a bit by person. But yes, there will always be a place down the center that isn't touching, so that would leave the sides or the top/sides to touch the roof of the mouth or inside of teeth.

[stephanieszk]

 She is the best English teacher I've ever seen! 

[Barelo]

OMG I'm so tired of trying do the correct sound. HOW SHOULD I PULL BACK MY TOUNGE AND FATTEN IT IN THE MIDDLE?! It's impossible to do. I can only move my tip of the tounge or the whole tounge. I'm not able to grow it in the middle. HELP ME people, I'm hopeless

[rahmanyalshugaa]

Thanks to Rachel's for her comprehesive method of teaching english . I had a good idea fron her and her way to say and I jope that she will contenou with the same methid

[rachelsenglish]

Thanks!
I actually think it's more helpful to think about the point of contact: the middle part of the tongue. Yes, you don't want the tip to be touching anything, but I think focusing on what does touch will get you a cleaner, more focused sound.
:)

[joshlangland]

Incredible video! This, just in 10 minutes, has helped me pronounce R's better than I've done before my entire life.

[gemsbarb]

I love your presentation skills, but a retroflexed /r/ is not an "incorrect" production. If you look at the research out there, you'll see that retroflexed (or cupped) /r/ is produced by just about the same number of people as the retracted (or humped) /r/ that you propose is "correct". Additionally, many American English speakers will actually alternate between the two versions of /r/ based on where they are in a word and what immediate precedes or follows them. If a tongue moves more naturally toward one way of production than the other (retracted rather than retroflex, OR vice versa) best practices say that a clinician should focus on the natural inclination of the tongue and work to strengthen that /r/, so that it can be correctly produced in all phonetic environments.

[rachelsenglish]

There are two ways to make the R. One does have the tip of the tongue pointing up. I find when non-natives try to make it that way, the sound is less accurate and more hollow. That's why I teach it this way (also it's how I make it!). But it's certainly possible to get a good R consonant with the other position.

[TheaBer]

You nailed it! Now I have a guide on how to teach my student the "r" sound. You're a life saver.

[rachelsenglish]

@RastamanAbsol Some native speakers pronounce it that way too. I find my students have an accurate sound with this method more frequently then the other.

[lariven]

This series is very helpful and is the best tutorial I've ever found. Thank you.

[RobercieRobb]

Retroflex /r/ is not wrong. It's just another way of producing it. It may sound hollow when produced by someone who normally bunches their /r/, just like a native retroflexer will sound silly when trying to bunch.

[SubscribersWithNoVideos-qgkz]

I HAVE NO IDEA IM STILL CONFUSED....I don't know how...I'm so sad

[rachelsenglish]

For me it happens easily because the tongue is contracting, which makes it a little fatter.
This is a very difficult sound to explain and make!

[dhiaoshaish]

This is the most frustrating sound. We need another fresh video for this sound. we unfortunately couldnt get the hold of it based on this video. Thank you Rachel for the good work.

[aud]

Thanks for all these awesome videos you teach me so much !

[rachelsenglish]

I would say, nothing! I think they are all the same sound, but some will be slightly different due to being stressed /ɝ/ as opposed to unstressed /ɚ/.