Bossy R Worksheets: AR & OR Words for Kindergarten and Grade 1

Bossy R: AR and OR Words for Kindergarten and Grade 1

R-controlled vowels, often called Bossy R, can be tricky for young readers. When the letter r comes after a vowel, it changes the vowel sound. This can make these words different from the usual vowel patterns children have already learned.

This Bossy R phonics worksheet bundle introduces two common r-controlled vowel patterns: AR and OR.

Children practice hearing, reading, sorting, tracing, and completing words so they can become more familiar with these sounds.

For example:

• AR – car, tar, star
• OR – born, cord, fork

Working with one sound pattern at a time helps children notice the difference between AR and OR words and become more comfortable decoding them.

What's Inside? – 12 Worksheets

This bundle includes a variety of Bossy R worksheets for practicing AR and OR words:

• Read, Search and Color – Find and color objects with AR words and OR words.
• AR and OR Tracing – Two worksheets for tracing words containing each sound.
• Look at the Picture and Complete the Word – Complete words using AR or OR.
• Circle and Sort AR Words – Sort words such as AR, ARK, ART, and ARD.
• Circle and Sort OR Words – Sort words such as ORN, ORT, and ORK.
• Read, Cut and Paste – Match words with the correct objects using two worksheets.
• Complete the Word – Use AR while working with other beginning blends and digraphs such as SH, SP, and ST.
• Complete the Word – Practice OR alongside SP, ST, SH, and CH.

Who Are These Worksheets For?

These AR and OR Bossy R worksheets are suitable for:

• Kindergarten students
• Grade 1 students
• Children practicing r-controlled vowels
• Parents supporting early reading at home
• Homeschoolers
• Teachers looking for simple phonics worksheets

Benefits of Practicing Bossy R Words

Regular practice with AR and OR words can help children:

• Recognize r-controlled vowel sounds
• Decode unfamiliar words more easily
• Improve early reading skills
• Strengthen spelling skills
• Reduce confusion between different vowel sounds
• Build confidence when reading words with Bossy R
• Become more familiar with common AR and OR word patterns

Coming Next

This is the first part of our Bossy R phonics series. In our next bundle, we will introduce ER, IR, and UR words with more activities for young learners.

If you enjoy these resources, explore our other Sight Words, Reading, Phonics Hub, Grammar, Maths Hub and Activities.