r-controlled Vowel: or sound /ɔr/

Listen to the or sound

The or sound is an r-controlled vowel. Technically this sound is two distinct sounds (vowel sound + r sound). It is presented here under the name or sound to distinguish the fact that the vowel portion of the sound is different from the various pronunciations commonly used for the o spelling.

How to pronounce the or sound

The or sound begins with lips rounded. The tongue is pushed back and held middle-low in the mouth, similar to the beginning of a long o sound. Although the International Phonetic Alphabet transcription shows that the or sound begins with the symbol used for the aw sound /ɔ/, note that the tongue is not as far back as it is during that sound.

To transition to the r portion of the sound, the lips relax and the body of the tongue moves upward and forward. The mid-section of the tongue raises so the sides of the tongue touch the middle teeth. The air travels over the body of the tongue to create the r portion of the sound. (NOTE: The secondary method of producing the r sound may be used to produce second portion of the or sound instead of this technique.)

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Common or sound spellings

spelling	example		other pronunciations for spelling
or[1]	corn north short		none
ore	more store before		none
oar	board roar soar		none
(w+)ar	warm warning award		none

[1]: -or spelling
When the or spelling follows a w, schwa+r is a more likely pronunciation (examples include the words work, world and word).

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The or sound in suffixes

spelling	example		other pronunciations for spelling
-ory	category dormitory territory		none

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Non-phonetic or sound words
The or sound is underlined in the following words:
four floor door

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Pronuncian Lessons

  

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