Phonics word list
Ir words
In short
Ir is an r-controlled vowel that says /er/, as in bird, girl and first. It sounds the same as er and ur. Our checked list has 161 words where ir says /er/.
At a glance
- Words in our list
- 161
- By syllables
- one syllable: 54 · two syllables: 66 · three or more syllables: 41
- Taught in
- Lesson 81 in the sequence
Ir words, most common first
Spelling units show how each word breaks into the letters that spell one sound; a_e is a vowel and silent e working together. Readable after is the first lesson where a student can sound out the whole word.
One syllable
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|
| firm | f·ir·m | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| girl | g·ir·l | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| first | f·ir·s·t | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| third | th·ir·d | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| sir | s·ir | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| bird | b·ir·d | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| dirt | d·ir·t | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| stir | s·t·ir | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| birds | b·ir·d·s | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| birth | b·ir·th | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| firms | f·ir·m·s | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| girls | g·ir·l·s | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| shirt | sh·ir·t | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| skirt | s·k·ir·t | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| stirs | s·t·ir·s | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| thirst | th·ir·s·t | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| fir | f·ir | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| irk | ir·k | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| firs | f·ir·s | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| irks | ir·k·s | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| birch | b·ir·ch | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| chirp | ch·ir·p | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| dirge | d·ir·g·e | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| flirt | f·l·ir·t | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| girth | g·ir·th | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| irked | ir·k·ed | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| mirth | m·ir·th | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| quirk | qu·ir·k | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| shirk | sh·ir·k | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| smirk | s·m·ir·k | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| swirl | s·w·ir·l | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| twirl | t·w·ir·l | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| whirl | wh·ir·l | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| births | b·ir·th·s | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| chirps | ch·ir·p·s | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| firmed | f·ir·m·ed | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| firsts | f·ir·s·t·s | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| flirts | f·l·ir·t·s | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| quirks | qu·ir·k·s | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| shirts | sh·ir·t·s | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| skirts | s·k·ir·t·s | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| smirks | s·m·ir·k·s | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| squirm | s·qu·ir·m | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| squirt | s·qu·ir·t | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| swirls | s·w·ir·l·s | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| thirds | th·ir·d·s | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| twirls | t·w·ir·l·s | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| shirked | sh·ir·k·ed | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| squirms | s·qu·ir·m·s | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| squirts | s·qu·ir·t·s | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| swirled | s·w·ir·l·ed | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| thirsts | th·ir·s·t·s | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| twirled | t·w·ir·l·ed | 1 | Lesson 81 |
| whirled | wh·ir·l·ed | 1 | Lesson 81 |
Two syllables
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|
| dirty | d·ir·t·y | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| circle | c·ir·c·le | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| direct | d·ir·e·c·t | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| firmly | f·ir·m·l·y | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| virtue | v·ir·t·ue | 2 | Not in the sequence |
| confirm | c·o·n·f·ir·m | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| directs | d·ir·e·c·t·s | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| firstly | f·ir·s·t·l·y | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| confirms | c·o·n·f·ir·m·s | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| confirmed | c·o·n·f·ir·m·ed | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| circa | c·ir·c·a | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| thirty | th·ir·t·y | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| circles | c·ir·c·le·s | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| virtues | v·ir·t·ue·s | 2 | Not in the sequence |
| birthday | b·ir·th·d·ay | 2 | Lesson 84 |
| girlfriend | g·ir·l·f·r·ie·n·d | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| firmer | f·ir·m·er | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| infirm | i·n·f·ir·m | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| quirky | qu·ir·k·y | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| circled | c·ir·c·le·d | 2 | Lesson 117 |
| cowgirl | c·ow·g·ir·l | 2 | Lesson 96 |
| firmest | f·ir·m·e·s·t | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| firming | f·ir·m·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| flirted | f·l·ir·t·ed | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| girlish | g·ir·l·i·sh | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| rebirth | r·e·b·ir·th | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| shirted | sh·ir·t·ed | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| skirted | s·k·ir·t·ed | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| thirsty | th·ir·s·t·y | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| birdcage | b·ir·d·c·a_e·g | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| birthing | b·ir·th·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| bluebird | b·l·ue·b·ir·d | 2 | Lesson 91 |
| chirping | ch·ir·p·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| cowgirls | c·ow·g·ir·l·s | 2 | Lesson 96 |
| firmness | f·ir·m·n·e·ss | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| flirting | f·l·ir·t·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| girlhood | g·ir·l·h·oo·d | 2 | Lesson 89 |
| outskirt | ou·t·s·k·ir·t | 2 | Lesson 96 |
| rebirths | r·e·b·ir·th·s | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| shirking | sh·ir·k·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| shirting | sh·ir·t·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| skirting | s·k·ir·t·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| smirking | s·m·ir·k·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| squirted | s·qu·ir·t·ed | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| swirling | s·w·ir·l·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| thirties | th·ir·t·ie·s | 2 | Lesson 110 |
| twirling | t·w·ir·l·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| whirling | wh·ir·l·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| birthdays | b·ir·th·d·ay·s | 2 | Lesson 84 |
| birthmark | b·ir·th·m·ar·k | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| blackbird | b·l·a·ck·b·ir·d | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| bluebirds | b·l·ue·b·ir·d·s | 2 | Lesson 91 |
| firsthand | f·ir·s·t·h·a·n·d | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| headfirst | h·ea·d·f·ir·s·t | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| outskirts | ou·t·s·k·ir·t·s | 2 | Lesson 96 |
| squirming | s·qu·ir·m·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| squirting | s·qu·ir·t·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| thirsting | th·ir·s·t·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 81 |
| whirlpool | wh·ir·l·p·oo·l | 2 | Lesson 90 |
| whirlwind | wh·ir·l·w·i·n·d | 2 | Lesson 81 |
Three or more syllables
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|
| directed | d·ir·e·c·t·ed | 3 | Lesson 81 |
| directly | d·ir·e·c·t·l·y | 3 | Lesson 81 |
| director | d·ir·e·c·t·or | 3 | Lesson 111 |
| directing | d·ir·e·c·t·i·ng | 3 | Lesson 81 |
| direction | d·ir·e·c·tion | 3 | Lesson 119 |
| confirming | c·o·n·f·ir·m·i·ng | 3 | Lesson 81 |
| directions | d·ir·e·c·tion·s | 3 | Lesson 119 |
| circumstance | c·ir·c·u·m·s·t·a·n·c·e | 3 | Lesson 117 |
| directory | d·ir·e·c·t·or·y | 4 | Lesson 111 |
| virtually | v·ir·t·u·a·ll·y | 4 | Not in the sequence |
| circulation | c·ir·c·u·l·a·tion | 4 | Not in the sequence |
| circumstances | c·ir·c·u·m·s·t·a·n·c·e·s | 4 | Lesson 117 |
| virtual | v·ir·t·u·a·l | 3 | Not in the sequence |
| circular | c·ir·c·u·l·ar | 3 | Not in the sequence |
| indirect | i·n·d·ir·e·c·t | 3 | Lesson 81 |
| redirect | r·e·d·ir·e·c·t | 3 | Lesson 81 |
| circulate | c·ir·c·u·l·a_e·t | 3 | Not in the sequence |
| directive | d·ir·e·c·t·i·v·e | 3 | Lesson 81 |
| directors | d·ir·e·c·t·or·s | 3 | Lesson 111 |
| circulates | c·ir·c·u·l·a_e·t·s | 3 | Not in the sequence |
| directives | d·ir·e·c·t·i·v·e·s | 3 | Lesson 81 |
| admirable | a·d·m·ir·a·b·le | 4 | Lesson 81 |
| admiration | a·d·m·ir·a·tion | 4 | Lesson 119 |
| circulated | c·ir·c·u·l·a·t·ed | 4 | Not in the sequence |
| indirectly | i·n·d·ir·e·c·t·l·y | 4 | Lesson 81 |
| miraculous | m·ir·a·c·u·l·ou·s | 4 | Not in the sequence |
| circulating | c·ir·c·u·l·a·t·i·ng | 4 | Not in the sequence |
| directories | d·ir·e·c·t·or·ie·s | 4 | Lesson 111 |
| inspiration | i·n·s·p·ir·a·tion | 4 | Lesson 119 |
| confirmation | c·o·n·f·ir·m·a·tion | 4 | Lesson 119 |
| dirtier | d·ir·t·i·er | 3 | Lesson 110 |
| dirtiest | d·ir·t·i·e·s·t | 3 | Lesson 110 |
| circulars | c·ir·c·u·l·ar·s | 3 | Not in the sequence |
| directness | d·ir·e·c·t·n·e·ss | 3 | Lesson 81 |
| redirected | r·e·d·ir·e·c·t·ed | 4 | Lesson 81 |
| redirecting | r·e·d·ir·e·c·t·i·ng | 4 | Lesson 81 |
| redirection | r·e·d·ir·e·c·tion | 4 | Lesson 119 |
| circulations | c·ir·c·u·l·a·tion·s | 4 | Not in the sequence |
| inspirations | i·n·s·p·ir·a·tion·s | 4 | Lesson 119 |
| confirmations | c·o·n·f·ir·m·a·tion·s | 4 | Lesson 119 |
| miraculously | m·ir·a·c·u·l·ou·s·l·y | 5 | Not in the sequence |
When do these words become readable?
The lessons where the most words on this page become decodable. Words marked not in the sequence have a spelling the sequence never teaches as a pattern.
| Readable after | Words |
|---|---|
| Lesson 81 | 114 |
| Lesson 84 | 2 |
| Lesson 91 | 2 |
| Lesson 96 | 4 |
| Lesson 110 | 3 |
| Lesson 111 | 4 |
| Lesson 117 | 6 |
| Lesson 119 | 8 |
| Not in the sequence | 14 |
How do you teach ir words?
Teach ir with ur, after er. "Ir also says /er/." Read bird, girl, first, shirt, dirt, birthday. Many ir words have ir in the middle before a consonant, rarely at the end.
What mistake do students make with ir words?
Students spell bird as burd or berd. All three spellings are possible; this one is a matter of knowing the word. Group ir words on a card and review often.
Where do ir words come in the sequence?
Ir is taught with ur, after er. In the sequence we use, the pattern is taught in Lesson 81.
Exceptions worth knowing
In words like irritate and miracle, i and r are in different syllables and the i is short. Fire and tire have i_e before r.
Decodable sentences
Every word in these sentences can be read at Lesson 81 or earlier, or is a heart word taught by then.
- The bird is in the birch.
- The girl is first.
- My shirt has dirt on it.
Questions people ask
What are 5 ir words?
What sound does ir make?
What are common ir words?
When can a student read ir words?
How this list was built
Every word comes from our lexicon of common English words, each split into spelling units and checked against a pronouncing dictionary, so a word is listed under the sound its spelling really makes. Words a student sees in our assessments are left out. The readable after lesson comes from our decodability engine, which checks each spelling unit and syllable pattern against the lesson sequence. You can run your own text through the same engine with the free decodable text checker.