The r-controlled /ar/ vowel sound as in care can be spelled in a few different ways. It can be spelled are as in care, air as in hair, ear as in bear, eir as in their, ere as in there, ey're as in they're, aire as in extraordinaire, and ayer as in prayer. It can be a difficult sound for children to recognize. R-controlled vowels are treated as one sound even though you may hear two sounds.