Which of the following is an example of a word that is not r-controlled?

The word "merry" is not r-controlled because it does not contain a vowel followed by the letter 'r' that alters the vowel sound. In 'merry', the 'e' is influenced by the following 'r', but it does not create an r-controlled vowel sound, as 'e' retains its short sound. In r-controlled words, such as 'bird' or 'torn', the vowel sound is altered by the presence of the 'r', producing a distinct and different sound. Similarly, 'car' exhibits r-controlled behavior with the 'a' being influenced by the 'r'. Therefore, "merry" stands out as the option that does not follow the r-controlled vowel pattern.