Ir Sound Words: How to Teach Them + Activities and Word List

The English language is both beautiful and frustrating! This becomes evident very quickly as we discuss phonics instruction and spelling words. And ir sound words definitely fall into this category.

As teachers, this means we have to encourage our students to memorize the ir words (along with all of the other r-controlled words) and then give them ample opportunities to practice spelling and using these words in many different ways.

So let’s take a look at the most common ir words, what makes the pronunciation of these words unique, and some activities that will help your students learn these words.

What is an R-Controlled Word?

An “r-controlled word” (also known as an “r-controlled vowel”) is a type of word in the English language where the letter “r” affects the sound of a vowel that comes before it in a one-syllable word.

In early reading education, you might hear this referred to as the “Bossy R” because the /r/ “bosses” the preceding vowel, changing its sound and creating a new vowel sound.

In a nutshell, these words don’t have the traditional short /i/ sound or follow the normal short /i/ pattern. The vowel is pronounced differently since the vowel directly precedes the /r/.

This r-contolled vowel is what causes /ir/ words to sound exactly the same as some /er/ words and /ur/ words, which is where the confusion and frustration come in.

And if that wasn’t reason enough to feel overwhelmed as a learner, ir words can also make different sounds depending on the word.

These exceptions include words like air, viral, spiral, and mirror. They are still spelled with ir, but they don’t have the same sound.

Common IR Words Word List

Bird
Girl
Girlish
Stir
Stirring
First
Firstly
Third
Thirdly
Shirt
Shirtless
Circle
Firm
Firmer
Firmest
Whirl
Whirling
Dirt
Dirty
Dirtiest
Birth
Birthday
Skirt
Thirdly
Thirst
Thirsty
Mirth
Sirloin
Fir
Firth
Firkin
Squirrel
Chirp
Swirl
Swirling
Giraffe
Stirrup
Virgo
Virtue
Squirt
Squirm
Birch
Smirk
Gird

Simple Activities to Review Ir Sound Words

Because I know how tricky r-controlled vowels can be for learners, I created an ir words activity pack. It includes all of the different activities that I mention already put together into a simple print and go pack!

You can click the image below (or click here) to be taken directly to the activity bundle!

Word Hunt

Create a list of “ir” words and give each student a worksheet with a grid of letters. Ask them to find and circle the “ir” words hidden in the grid.

Word Sort

Prepare a set of word cards that includes real “ir” words and nonsense “ir” words. Have your students sort the cards into either the real word group or the nonsense word group.

You can play this same game a different way by integrating the “ir” words with other short /i/ words. Students will then sort the cards into groups based on the vowel sound they hear.

Word Bingo

Create bingo cards with “ir” words randomly placed on them. Call out the words, and students mark the corresponding words on their cards.

Read and Draw

Provide students with a list of “ir” words and ask them to draw a simple picture representation of each word next to it. This reinforces their understanding of the word’s meaning.

Word Race

Create flashcards with “ir” words. You can incorporate both real words and nonsense words to help your students practice the sounds.

Divide the class into teams and hold a relay race where students must read the word on their card before passing it to the next team member.

Articulation Practice

Practice saying “ir” words aloud, emphasizing the /ir/ sound. Use mirrors or video recordings to help students observe their mouth movements for correct pronunciation.

Memory

Cut out all of your memory cards and shuffle. Place the cards face down. Students take turns flipping over two cards.

If they find a match, they have to read the words correctly before they can collect the cards. If the same word is revealed, but the student mispronounces the words, they have to flip the cards back over.