Spelling Rules Lesson

​C sounds like s before e, i, y 

cent, city, cycle 

C sounds like k everywhere else 

cat, cot, cup 

​g

G sounds like j before e, i, y

gem, giant, gym
G sounds like g everywhere else gap, got, gum

​When two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking!

seed, sea, hair, boat

EA sometimes uses the short e sound.

head, bread

​Short Vowel Sounds

Short vowels make the letter sound.

cat, ten, pin, cot, mud

​Long vowel sounds

Long vowels make the sound of the letter name.

cape, she, kite, rope, cube

​Qu

Q is always followed by u.

In this case, u is not counted as a vowel.

queen quiet quaint

​Not in English!

No words in English end with i, u, v, or j

Sometimes /y/ acts as a vowel.

re/peat/ed = 3 syllables un/ne/ce/ssa/ry = 5 syllables

​Double Consonants

Double the last consonant when adding a vowel suffix to words ending in one vowel followed by one consonant.

tap tapped tapping

plot plotted plotting

[-​dge]

[-dge] is used only after a single vowel which says its short sound. badge wedge bridge splodge fudge

​Single vowel sound [y] changes to [i] when adding any ending unless the ending begins with [i].

fly - flies, fly-flying

spy spied, spy spying

Skiing (exception)

​To make a noun plural, add the ending [-s], unless the word hisses or changes;

then add [-es].

plan - plans, swim - swims pass - passes, grass - grasses

Occasional nouns have no change or irregular spelling.

​To make a verb 3rd person singular, add [-s], unless the word hisses; then add [-es].

I jump. He jumps.

I dance. He dances.

I tax. He taxes.

Only four verbs are irregular. To be,

​All is written as a prefix with one [l](-al) when going before another syllable.

altogether, always,

alright, already,

almost

​[-ck ]

[-ck] is used only after a single vowel which says its short sound.

pack tick. luck

check sock

​Doubles [f], [l], and [s] are often doubled after a single vowel at the end of a base word.

class fall gruff hiss doll stuff

Occasionally other letters also are doubled.

​[-ful]

Full is written with one L (ful) when added to another syllable as a suffix.

Youthful, grateful, wasteful joyful, sorrowful

​[-o-] may also say /ŭ/ in a stressed syllable next to th, m, n, or v

month come none dove

​[sh-] sounds

This sound can be spelled: sh, ci, ti, si, ch, ssi.

They usually come after similar endings

​-ti ci

-tion - caution -cian - musician

-tious - cautious - ssion - possession

-tial -partial

The letter [f] is not allowed in long words, and if a word is long, such as in Geography.

Then the [f] sound is spelt with a [-ph].

photograph, graph, sarcophagus, pharoh

Some words have the “gh” sound like enough.

tough, rough, trough,

​[-oi-] or [-oy-]

Use [-oi-] at the beginning or in the middle of a word for the “oi” sound as in oil, soil, coin.

Use [-oy] at the end of a word for the “oi” sound like in boy, annoy

​[-ou-] or [-ow-]

Use [-ou-] at the beginning or in the middle of a word for the [-ou-] sound as in sound, our, proud.

Use [-ow-] at the end of a word for the [-ow-] sound like, brow row