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The American R is an approximant - your tongue gets close to the roof of your mouth but never actually touches it. This is different from the rolled or trilled R found in languages like Spanish or Italian. You can hold the American R sound indefinitely ("rrrrrr") because nothing is blocking the airflow.

There are two equally valid ways to produce it:

Bunched R: Start by saying "ee" and notice your tongue is wide with the sides touching your upper back teeth. Keep that width, then bunch the middle of your tongue upward and pull it back toward your throat. The tongue tip stays relaxed and neutral.

Retroflex R: Curl your tongue tip upward and backward, pointing toward (but not touching) the roof of your mouth behind your upper teeth. Imagine making a backwards "C" shape with your tongue.

For both methods: keep your tongue tense, the sides should gently contact your upper molars, and round your lips forward slightly.

• Tongue touching the roof: If your tongue touches anything, you'll produce a tap or trill instead of the American R
• Forgetting lip rounding: The slight forward pucker is essential for the characteristic American R sound
• Using your native R: If your language has a flapped or rolled R, focus on keeping your tongue completely free from contact

Try starting from "sure" - your tongue is already bunched for the "sh" sound. Slide your tongue back while rounding your lips, and you'll glide naturally into the R. Practice holding the sound: a proper American R can be sustained as long as you have breath.