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Linking R and intrusive R

When /ɹ/ shows up "between" words

In General American, a word-final /ɹ/ links smoothly into a following vowel:

  • "here are" → /hɪr‿ɑɹ/ — the final /ɹ/ of "here" glides into "are".
  • "for a" → /fɔɹ‿ə/ — no pause between /ɹ/ and schwa.

In non-rhotic accents (British RP, Australian, much of NY), the /ɹ/ is normally silent — but reappears when the next word starts with a vowel. That's called linking R:

  • "car" alone → [kɑː] (no r)
  • "car is" → [kɑːɹɪz] (r comes back)

And sometimes speakers add an /ɹ/ where there isn't one spelled — intrusive R:

  • "idea of" → often [aɪˈdɪəɹəv] in RP

Knowing this helps you understand speakers from other regions even if you only produce GenAm /ɹ/.

Practice connected speech

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“The proud parents arranged three rows of bright red roses for the graduation ceremony.”
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Around forty brave explorers crossed the roaring river before dawn broke over the forest.
Ray's brother rarely remembers to return the bright orange raincoat he borrowed last spring.
The proud parents arranged three rows of bright red roses for the graduation ceremony.

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Linking R and intrusive R — Master the prevocalic American R (/ɹ/)