Vowel team
The "ur" sound — /ur/
As in burn. Tap play to hear the sound, see the mouth shape, and learn 5 words to practice.
Mouth shape
Relaxed tongue, add 'r'
Gesture
Cup hands and turn them over saying ur-ur-ur
Example words
- burn
- turn
- curl
- hurt
- fur
How to teach the “ur” sound
- Hear it first. Tap Play three times. Have your child watch your mouth while you copy the sound — no letter name yet, just the pure sound /ur/.
- Do the gesture. Cup hands and turn them over saying ur-ur-ur— kids remember sounds 2× faster when there’s a physical action attached.
- Find it in words. Read the 5 example words aloud slowly, stretching the /ur/ sound: “b–u–r–n”.
- Spot it around the house. “Can you find something that starts with /ur/?” Aim for 3 wins in a row before stopping.
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ABC Phonics — Sounds for Kids