Bossy R WordsGrade 3 English for Kids
Car, horse, bird, turtle! The letter r changes the vowel sound.
Bossy R Words teaches third graders how an r after a vowel changes its sound: ar in car, or in horse, er in her, ir in bird and ur in turtle. Kids type r-controlled vowel words and sentences in voiced games.
- Grade 3 · Ages 8–9
- 4 games
- 29 practice questions
- About 15 min
- Bossy R Pictures
- Missing R Teams
- Hear and Type
- Bossy R Sentences
English typing course · Grade 3
Bossy R Words · Learning goals
What Your Child Will Learn
When r follows a vowel, it changes the sound: ar in car, or in horse, er in her, ir in bird and ur in turtle. Type them in words and sentences.
- Bossy R Pictures
- Missing R Teams
- Hear and Type
- Bossy R Sentences
Why it matters
Why This Matters for Kids
Tricky sounds
R-controlled vowels are hard to sound out and spell, so focused practice makes a big difference.
Spelling choices
Er, ir and ur all sound the same. Kids learn the common words for each spelling.
Reading fluency
These patterns appear in many everyday words, from first and girl to party and turn.
Inside Bossy R Words
How the Course Works
Short typing games: kids hear or see each word, type it, and get instant, friendly feedback.
Step 1 · Game
Bossy R Pictures
Name each picture. Listen for the bossy r! See a picture and type its name. (8 exercises)
Step 2 · Game
Missing R Teams
Type the missing ar, or, er, ir or ur. Fill in the missing letters. (8 exercises)
Step 3 · Game
Hear and Type
Listen and type the bossy r word. Hear a word and type it. (8 exercises)
Step 4 · Game
Bossy R Sentences
Type sentences full of bossy r words. Hear a sentence and type it. (5 exercises)
Word list
Grade 3 Words and Sentences to Type
A sample of what your child hears, reads and types in this course.
- car(noun)
- star(noun)
- horse(noun)
- corn(noun)
- bird(noun)
- turtle(noun)
- shirt(noun)
- church(noun)
- start(verb)
- fork(noun)
- nurse(noun)
- her(pronoun)
- park(noun)
- farm(noun)
- storm(noun)
- short(adjective)
- first(adverb)
- girl(noun)
- burn(verb)
- winter(noun)
- “The farmer drives a red car.”
- “A storm is coming.”
- “The girl wore a purple shirt.”
- “Turn left at the corner.”
- “The horse ate the corn.”
For parents
Try It at Home
Learning sticks best when kids use it in real life. Here are simple ideas from this course.
Parent Tip
Make three columns labeled er, ir and ur. Read a page together and sort the bossy r words you find into the right column.
Bossy R Words · Questions from parents
Frequently Asked Questions
What age is this course for?
Bossy R Words is a grade 3 english course for kids ages 8–9. That is Year 4 english in the UK and Year 3 in Australia. It also works well for review in the next grade, or as a challenge for a confident younger learner.
What will my child learn?
When r follows a vowel, it changes the sound: ar in car, or in horse, er in her, ir in bird and ur in turtle. Type them in words and sentences. Along the way they practice: Bossy R Pictures; Missing R Teams; Hear and Type; Bossy R Sentences.
How long does the course take?
About 15 minutes in total, split into 4 short levels. Most kids finish it over two or three sessions. Progress is saved, so they can stop any time and pick up where they left off.
Is this course free?
Yes. Bossy R Words is one of the first 2 courses in Grade 3 English. Create a free parent account and your child can start right away.
Does my child need to read well to use it?
No. Every word and sentence is read aloud first, and kids type what they hear. Spelling and reading grow together as they play.
Can we use it for homeschool?
Yes. SkillBloom is built for homeschooling families. Kids work through lessons, games and quizzes on their own, and the parent dashboard shows what they finished and which skills need more practice. It works on phones, tablets and laptops.
Keep learning
More Grade 3 English Courses
- Prefixes: un-, re-, pre-Un-, re- and pre- change what a word means.
- Suffixes: -ful, -less, -lyHelpful, careless, quickly! Endings that change words.
- Tricky PluralsMouse → mice, tooth → teeth, leaf → leaves!
- Past Tense PuzzlesSing → sang, write → wrote! Special past tense verbs.
- Bigger and BiggestTall, taller, tallest! Words that compare.
- Sound-Alike WordsSee or sea? Two or to? Words that sound the same.
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