A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, applied to a spark ignition internal combustion engine having an air flow control valve which is configured to change intake air flow generated in a cylinder of said internal combustion engine by means of changing an opening thereof, comprising: an opening control section which is configured to set said opening of said air flow control valve to either a first opening or a second opening selectively; and a combustion control section which is configured to control said internal combustion engine so as to burn air-fuel mixture in said cylinder in either a homogeneous lean combustion mode or a stratified lean combustion mode, selectively; wherein, said combustion control section is configured to: burn said air-fuel mixture in said homogeneous lean combustion mode when an operational point of said internal combustion engine is in an operational region where a homogeneous lean combustion is to be achieved; the control apparatus being characterized in that said combustion control section is further configured to burn said air-fuel mixture in said stratified lean combustion mode, in place of said homogeneous lean combustion mode, in a first specific combustion stroke of a first specific cylinder, when said opening control section switches said opening of said air flow control valve from said first opening to said second opening while said operational point is in said operational region, all of or a part of a first specific intake stroke which is a period in which an intake valve of said first specific cylinder is open overlapping with a switching period from a point in time at which said opening of said air flow control valve starts to change from said first opening to said second opening to a point in time at which said opening of said air flow control valve reaches said second opening, and said first specific combustion stroke following said first specific intake stroke of said first specific cylinder. an opening control section which is configured to set said opening of said air flow control valve to either a first opening or a second opening selectively; and a combustion control section which is configured to control said internal combustion engine so as to burn air-fuel mixture in said cylinder in either a homogeneous lean combustion mode or a stratified lean combustion mode, selectively; wherein, said combustion control section is configured to: burn said air-fuel mixture in said homogeneous lean combustion mode when an operational point of said internal combustion engine is in an operational region where a homogeneous lean combustion is to be achieved; the control apparatus being characterized in that said combustion control section is further configured to burn said air-fuel mixture in said stratified lean combustion mode, in place of said homogeneous lean combustion mode, in a first specific combustion stroke of a first specific cylinder, when said opening control section switches said opening of said air flow control valve from said first opening to said second opening while said operational point is in said operational region, all of or a part of a first specific intake stroke which is a period in which an intake valve of said first specific cylinder is open overlapping with a switching period from a point in time at which said opening of said air flow control valve starts to change from said first opening to said second opening to a point in time at which said opening of said air flow control valve reaches said second opening, and said first specific combustion stroke following said first specific intake stroke of said first specific cylinder. burn said air-fuel mixture in said homogeneous lean combustion mode when an operational point of said internal combustion engine is in an operational region where a homogeneous lean combustion is to be achieved; the control apparatus being characterized in that said combustion control section is further configured to burn said air-fuel mixture in said stratified lean combustion mode, in place of said homogeneous lean combustion mode, in a first specific combustion stroke of a first specific cylinder, when said opening control section switches said opening of said air flow control valve from said first opening to said second opening while said operational point is in said operational region, all of or a part of a first specific intake stroke which is a period in which an intake valve of said first specific cylinder is open overlapping with a switching period from a point in time at which said opening of said air flow control valve starts to change from said first opening to said second opening to a point in time at which said opening of said air flow control valve reaches said second opening, and said first specific combustion stroke following said first specific intake stroke of said first specific cylinder.