Spelling list: Words ending in er

When the schwa sound appears at the end of a word, it is sometimes spelled with the letters er. The schwa sound is a neutral vowel sound, like a soft uh sound.

In English, we often add the suffix er to a word to describe a person who or thing that performs a particular action. For example, a teacher is someone who teaches, and a baker is someone who bakes.

This pattern is also used to form adjectives that are used to compare two things based on a particular quality. For instance, bigger is used to describe something that is a larger size than something else.

faster
Hannah ran faster than Lee.
sharper
My pencil is sharper than yours. *
lighter
It stays lighter for longer in the summer.
smoother
My hair has become smoother since I switched shampoo.
baker
The baker kneaded the dough thoroughly.
driver
Car lights can dazzle drivers at night.
dancer
The dancer twists and turns.
rider
She was an excellent rider. *
runner
Will is the fastest runner in the school.
swimmer
The buoyancy aid helped keep the weak swimmer afloat. *
teacher
The teacher gave me good advice.
daughter
My brother's daughter is my niece.
lawyer
The arrested man asked for a lawyer.
writer
The writer won a prestigious prize.
manager
They hoped their manager would let them leave early.
publisher
I have asked my publisher for an extension on my book deadline.
anger
I managed to control my anger. *
answer
He was reluctant to answer my question.
deliver
When will you be able to deliver my order?
helicopter
The rescue helicopter pulled him from the sea.