The austenite → ferrite transformation is the most important reaction route in the manufacture of Fe-based materials. Here the austenite (γ) → ferrite (α)transformation of pure iron was systematically explored by high-resolution dilatometry. Abnormal transformation kinetics, multi-peak discontinuous reaction, was recognized in pure iron according to the variation of the ferrite-formation rate. The occurrence the one or the other type of γ→α trans formation strongly depends on the grain size: the transformation type changes from abnormal to normal (single-peak continuous reaction) with decreasing grain size. The inherent reason for the occurrence of abnormal transformation could be attributed to the repeated nucleation in front of the moving γ/α interface induced by the accumulation of elastic and plastic accommodation energy.