The American English /r/ can be one of the most challenging sounds for English learners — especially if your native language uses a tapped or rolled R.

But here's the key: the American R isn't made by touching the roof of your mouth.

In this episode, we break down how to build the American /r/ from scratch and explore the two common tongue configurations: the retroflex R and the bunched R.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why the American /r/ is an approximant, not a tap or a roll
• The most important rule: your tongue should not make contact
• How to create the retroflex and bunched versions of /r/
• How slight lip rounding contributes to the sound
• How to find the correct position using a long ...