Basic Concepts for Spelling/Writing
UNIT
Unit One
Unit Two
Unit Three
Unit Four
Unit Five
Unit Six
Unit Seven
Unit Eight
Unit Nine
Unit Ten
CONCEPT
Short vowel sounds are usually spelled with one vowel.
Long vowel sounds are usually spelled with two vowels.
Long vowel spelling patterns for /ā/ are: ai, ay, a-consonant-e
Long vowel spelling patterns for /ē/ are: ea, ee, final y
Long vowel spelling patterns for /ī/ are: igh, ind, final y, i-consonant-e
Long vowel spelling patterns for /ō/ are: oa, ow, old, o-consonant-e
Long vowel spelling patterns for /ū/ are: ew, ue, u-consonant-e
For all words, just add the prefix. The base word does not change.
For most words, just add the suffix. The base word does not change.
For words ending in silent e, drop the e before adding a suffix that begins with a vowel.
For words ending in consonant y, change y to i, then add any suffix (except –ing)
For words ending in a stressed syllable with one vowel and one consonant, double the final consonant
(except w, x, or y), then add a suffix that begins with a vowel.
Frequent spelling patterns for /j/ are j, and g when followed by e, i, or y (ge, gi, gy).
The sound /j/ at the end of a word is usually spelled dge when it is immediately preceded by a short
vowel sound.
The sound /j/ at the end of a word is usually spelled ge when any other sound comes before it besides
a short vowel sound.
Past tense regular verbs add ed to the base word.
Past tense irregular verbs do not add ed to the base word. They change their spelling.
Some verbs don’t change at all from present to past tense.
Frequent spelling patterns for the sound /s/ are s, ss, and sc.
When c spells the /s/ sound it is followed by the vowels e, i, or y.
The /s/ sound can be spelled se at the end of words.
The /s/ sound is heard in words spelled with an x.
Learn meanings, spellings, and pronunciations for homophones and look-alike words.
Some words have silent consonants (w, t, b, k, l).
For most words, just add the suffix. The base word does not change.
For words ending in silent e, drop the e before adding a suffix that begins with a vowel.
For words ending in consonant y, change y to i, then add any suffix (except –ing)
For words ending in a stressed syllable with one vowel and one consonant, double the final consonant
(except w, x, or y), then add a suffix that begins with a vowel.
For words ending in s, sh, ch, x, or z, add es.
The /k/ sound can be spelled k, ke, ck, and ch.
The /k/ sound can be spelled cc, kk, que, and –ic ending words.
When c spells the /k/ sound, it is usually followed by a, o, u, l, or r.
The /k/ can be heard in qu /kw/ and in x /ks/.
Spelling patterns for the /ou/ sound are ou and ow.
Learn the definitions, usage, and spellings of their. there, they’re, theirs, and there’s.
The ful suffix only has one l. The word full has two l’s.
Adding the ly suffix to words that end in l makes a double l.
When a word ends in ic, the ly suffix is spelled ally.
Adding the il prefix makes a double l spelling and gives the word the opposite meaning.
An apostrophe signals omitted letters in a contraction.
An apostrophe signals ownership or possession in nouns.
Possessive pronouns never use apostrophes.
Compound words are made up of two or more complete words put together as one.
Check the ending letters/sounds of the base word and the beginning letters of the suffix to help you
decide how to add suffixes.
For most words, just add the suffix. The base word does not change.
For words ending in silent e, drop the e before adding a suffix that begins with a vowel.
For words ending in consonant y, change y to i, then add any suffix (except –ing)
For words ending in a stressed syllable with one vowel and one consonant, double the final consonant
(except w, x, or y), then add a suffix that begins with a vowel.
For words ending in s, sh, ch, x, or z, add es.
Frequent spelling patterns for the sound /s/ are s, ss, and sc.
When c spells the /s/ sound it is followed by the vowels e, i, or y.
The /s/ sound is heard in words spelled with an x.
Consonant digraphs with an h are two adjacent consonants that make one sound.
Add the er suffix following the suffix rules.
The er suffix can mean more, one who, or something that.
Homophones sound alike, or nearly alike, but have different spellings and meanings.
Prefixes change the meaning but not the spelling of the base word.
EXAMPLES
hat, chin, scram
heat, chain, scream
rain, say, save
beat, feel, happy
high, find, try, life
boat, grow, told, smoke
crew, blue, flute
action, reaction
listen, listened
believe, believing
worry, worries, worrying
permit, permitted
allow, allowed
jet, charge, giant, gym
dodge, edge, ridge
cage, strange, huge
explain, explained
win, won; is, was
set, put, shut, spread, let, cut
spring, class, scene
center, pencil , emergency
nurse, promise
textbook, exhale, fix
whether, weather, quite, quiet
wreck, soften, comb, knot, calf
obey, obeyed
complete, completing
dairy, dairies
begin, beginning
draw, drawing
tax, taxes; church, churches
kind, take, bucket, chorus
occasion, Hanukkah, antique, music
canoe, come, cut, clap, cry
queen, relax
house, flower
…
colorful, full
careful, carefully; equal, equally
basic, basically; music, musically
legal, illegal; legible, illegible
did not, didn’t; it is, it’s
bird’s nest; birds’ nests
its collar
snowflake, farmhouse
day, daily; forbid, forbidden
author, authorize
loose, loosen
cozy, cozily
forgot, forgotten
misses, foxes, buzzes, beaches
summit, colorless, science
piece, city, democracy
complex, exclude
champ, short, graph, with, where
richer, racer, heavier, propeller
brighter, writer, heater
through, threw; caught, cot
marine, submarine; it, exit
Unit Eleven
Unit Twelve
Unit Thirteen
Unit Fourteen
Unit Fifteen
Unit Sixteen
Unit Seventeen
Unit Eighteen
Unit Nineteen
Unit Twenty
An apostrophe signals omitted letters in a contraction.
An apostrophe signals possession. In singular nouns add an apostrophe s.
An apostrophe signals possession. In plural nouns that end in s, add an apostrophe.
An apostrophe signals possession. In plural nouns that don’t end in s, add an apostrophe s.
Plural nouns do not have an apostrophe.
Nouns that end in vowel y are made plural by adding s.
Nouns that end in consonant y are made plural by changing the y to i and adding es.
Use the er/est suffixes for short words that compare.
Use more/less/most/least for longer words that compare.
Use more/less/most/least for longer words ending in suffixes that compare.
An apostrophe signals omitted letters in a contraction.
Learn the definitions, usage, and spellings of homophone pairs or triads.
Unclutter your writing by getting rid of words that say the same thing.
Double letters stand for one sound.
For words ending in a stressed syllable with one vowel and one consonant, double the final consonant
(except w, x, or y), then add a suffix that begins with a vowel.
Adding a prefix can cause a double letter.
Be careful not to misuse words. Write the right word.
The letter combination ou can spell many different sounds (Rough Toughies).
Unstressed syllables blur the vowel sound into a schwa /ǝ/ and can be spelled with different vowel
letters.
The /ǝl/ sound can be spelled le, al, el, il, ol, or ul in the suffix ful.
The /ǝr/ sound can be spelled er, or, ar, ur, and ure.
When h follows c, s, t, w, or p the combination spells a new sound.
Most nouns are made plural by just adding s. The base word does not change.
Some nouns don’t change when they are made plural.
Nouns ending in consonant y, change y to i before adding es.
Nouns ending in f or fe are often made plural by changing the f/fe to v and adding es.
Nouns ending in s, sh, ch, x, z, and some o-ending words are made plural by adding es.
Some nouns change the base word to make them plural.
Singular possessive nouns are spelled with an apostrophe s (‘s).
Plural nouns do not have an apostrophe.
Plural possessive nouns have an apostrophe after the s (s’) if they end in s.
Plural possessive nouns have an apostrophe before the s (‘s) if they do not end in s.
Consonant blends have consonants next to each other that each makes a sound.
The two most common spelling patterns for the sound /or/ are or and ore.
When the sound /or/ follows w, the spelling is often ar.
Less frequent /or/ sound spellings are oor, oar, and our.
Abbreviations are shortcut words that sometimes have periods.
Most nouns are made plural by just adding s. The base word does not change.
Some nouns don’t change when they are made plural.
Nouns ending in consonant y, change y to i before adding es.
Nouns ending in f or fe are often made plural by changing the f/fe to v and adding es.
Nouns ending in s, sh, ch, x, z, and some o-ending words are made plural by adding es.
Some nouns change the base word to make them plural.
For most words, just add the suffix that begins with a vowel.
For words ending in silent e, drop the e before adding a suffix that begins with a vowel.
For words ending in consonant y, change y to i, then add any suffix (except –ing)
For words ending in a stressed syllable with one vowel and one consonant, double the final consonant
(except w, x, or y), then add a suffix that begins with a vowel.
Some spellings are easier to remember by using a mnemonic device.
To add the er/est suffixes to words, the usual suffix rules apply.
Use more/less/most/least for longer words that compare.
Use more/less/most/least for longer words ending in suffixes that compare.
Spell the /ch/ sound tch when a short vowel sound comes right before the ending sound.
Spell the /ch/ sound ch when a consonant or other vowel sound comes right before the ending sound.
Exceptions to the above rules are rich, much, such, which, watch, and sandwich.
Spell the /k/ sound ck when a short vowel sound comes right before the ending sound.
Spell the /k/ sound k when a consonant or other vowel sound comes right before the ending sound.
Often spell the /k/ sound ke when the word contains a long vowel sound.
Other spellings for the /k/ sound at the end of words are ic, que, and ch.
The /oi/ sound can be spelled oi or oy. The oy spelling is often at the end of words.
A knowledge of Latin roots unlocks the meaning of many words.
Spacing or not spacing contributes to meanings of words, as well as spellings.
Suffixes are added to the end of words following the rules.
he would, he’d; will not, won’t
boy’s shirt
students’ books
women’s shoes
schools, teams
cowboy, cowboys; key, keys
baby, babies; fry, fries
lighter, lightest
more common, least necessary
more naturally; least beautiful
let us, let’s; must not, mustn’t
he’ll, heal, heel; I’ll, aisle, isle
separate out; free gift;
middle, committee, llamas
plan, planner
begin, beginner
natural, unnatural
than, then; probable, possible
journey, boulevard, you, though
chicken, muffin, champion, librarian,
fountain
people, formal, pretzel, fossil
minor, sugar, murmur, mixture
chin, graph, this, wish, wheat
eye, eyes; flower, flowers
sheep, deer, moose
history, histories
wolf, wolves; life, lives
class, classes; potato, potatoes
tooth, teeth; child, children
walrus’s, sheep’s, elf’s
foxes, knives, walruses
foxes’, knives’, actresses’
children’s, women’s
screen, spruce, string, thread
north, for, more, before
warm, warp, warn
door, board, four
etc., etcetera; doz, dozen
friends, groups
fish, species
babies, centuries
leaves, halves
wishes, boxes
feet, teeth
allowable, annoyance
storage, interference
reliable, defiance
occurrence; baggage
forty forts; friend to the end
brighter, sleepiest, bigger
more willing
most naturally
batch, catch, itch
mulch, peach, hunch, arch, pooch
…
yuck, trick, knack
milk, peek, work, dusk
stroke, pike, Luke, take
music, antique, stomach
hoist, foil, toy, cowboys
vocabulary, vocal, advocate
maybe, may be, apart, a part
…