When R is combined with a vowel, it becomes one sound. Since your mouth moves when you say these sounds, I call these R controlled vowels, R movement vowels. These are very confusing since they can be spelled many different ways.
EAR vowel:
EAR: hear, EER: jeer, IR: spirit, IE: pier
ARE vowel:
AR: arm
OR vowel:
OR: nor, OUR: four, ORE: sore
AIR:
AIR: hair, ARE: share, EAR: tear