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Master the prevocalic American R (/ɹ/)
Build a reliable American /ɹ/ from the tongue up. Covers bunched vs. retroflex articulation, /ɹ/ vs /w/ and /ɹ/ vs /l/ contrasts, initial and cluster positions (red vs. bread vs. three), and how /ɹ/ behaves in rhotic and non-rhotic accents.
4 modules8 lessons
Module 1Module 1 — Articulation: bunched vs. retroflex
American /ɹ/ has two acceptable tongue shapes. Pick the one that works for you.
Module 2Module 2 — /ɹ/ vs /w/: fix the biggest confusion
The #1 error for L2 learners: /ɹ/ sounding like /w/.
Module 3Module 3 — Clusters: /Cɹ/ is where it gets hard
/ɹ/ after another consonant (try, bread, three) is harder than initial /ɹ/.
Module 4Module 4 — Connected speech & non-rhotic accents
Where /ɹ/ disappears: non-rhotic English and linking R.