Vowels: The vowels are: a, e, i, o, u
Consonants: The consonants are all the other letters of the alphabet.
Prefix: A beginning added to a word to form a new word.
For example:
dis + solve = dissolve
un+ natural = unnatural
un + happy = unhappy
Suffix: an ending added to a word to form a new word.
For example:
wonder + ful = wonderful
care + less = careless
use + less = useless
Syllable: A syllable is a single speech sound.
For example:
One or single syllable words – fun, sun, map
Two-syllable words – believe, money, comfort
Three-syllable words – assignment, remember, amusement
Four-syllable words – television, necessary, replaceable
RULE 1: 'i' before 'e'
You may know about the i before e except after c rule. For example: believe, receive, deceive, relieve. There is another part to this rule which is less well known.
If you want to make an ee sound, then it’s i before e except after c.
For example: field, shield, brief, belief, piece
If you want to make an a or i sound, then it’s e before i.
For example: eight, height, freight, neighbour.
There are some exceptions. For example: weird, seize, and some names like Keith and Sheila.
Exercise 1
Write out the following putting ‘ei’ or ‘ie’ in the blank spaces.
a) I find that very hard to bel_ _ ve.
b) There was a fly on the c_ _ ling.
c) The student said it was a re_ _ f to finish the assignment.
d) The lady in the library said we had to be qu_ _ t.
e) Passing my driving test was a great ach_ _vement.
f) Where we live, there is a N_ _ghbourhood Watch scheme.
g) They decided to measure the h_ _ ght of the fence.
h) After Christmas he went on a d _ _ t to try and loose w_ _ ght.
i) We went to the l_ _ sure centre for a swim.
j) The aud_ _ nce left the theatre quickly after the show.
RULE 2: When to change 'y' to 'i'
If you add a suffix to a word which ends in a consonant followed by y, the y must change to i.
For example:
happy + ness = happiness
empty + ness = emptiness
apply + ed = applied
RULE 3: Plurals
a) If a single noun ends in y, look at the letter before the y; if it’s a consonant, change the y to ies to form the plural.
For example:
lady = ladies family = families fairy = fairies
Exercise 2
Try changing these to their plural form:
penny battery journey spy salary jelly holiday monkey
worry baby lady
RULE 4: Plurals
a) Plural of nouns ending in o
If a single noun ends in the letter o, look at the letter before the o. If it is a consonant, add es.
For example:
potato = potatoes echo = echoes domino = dominoes
Some exceptions are: photos, dynamos, kilos
If the letter before the o is a vowel, just add s.
For example:
studio = studios stereo = stereos
Exercise 3
Try changing these to their plural form:
buffalo torpedo tomato video hero kangaroo volcano radio
Understand the rules of spelling by understanding prefix meaning:
Prefixes
A prefix is added to the beginning of a word to change or extend its meaning. Here are some of the most common:
auto (meaning self) e.g. autobiography, automatic, autograph.
dis (meaning not or without) e.g. disappear, dissolve, dissatisfied.
inter (meaning between or among) e.g. interchange, international, intercom.
mis (meaning mistaken or wrong) e.g. misbehave, misfire, misfortune, mishap.
pre (meaning before) e.g. precede, present, prefer, predict.
super (meaning above or outside) e.g. superior, supermarket, supernatural.
trans (meaning across or beyond) e.g. transfer, transport, transform, translate.
un (meaning not or the reverse) e.g. unhappy, unlikely, uncover, unusual, undo.
These prefixes are sometimes spelled incorrectly:
anti (meaning against) e.g. antiseptic, antifreeze.
ante (meaning before) e.g. antechamber, antenatal.
bi (meaning two or twice) e.g. bicycle, bifocals, bikini.
co (meaning together or associated) e.g. cooperative, cooperate.
RULE 5: Prefixes
a) When you want to create the opposite meaning to a word, you have a choice of several different prefixes.
For example:
un + necessary = unnecessary il + legal = illegal
im + possible = impossible ir + rational = irrational
b) When you use the prefix dis (meaning not or without) with a word which begins with the letter s, remember to keep the letter s in dis. For example:
satisfied + dis = dissatisfied solve + dis = dissolve
c) When you add ‘all’ to the beginning of a word, use one l. For example:
all + ways = always all + together = altogether
all + ready = already all + most = almost
all + right = alright all + so = also
Exercise 4
Add prefixes to these words to create new words or words of opposite meaning:
play embark usual easy appear regular natural agree pleasure service
similar appoint climax monthly clockwise social approve inhabit usual
Understand the rules of spelling by understanding suffix meaning:
Suffixes
A suffix is added to the end of a word to change or extend its meaning.
Here are some of the most common and the spelling rules that go with them:
RULE 6: Suffixes
a) If you add a suffix beginning with a vowel to a word ending in e, you drop the e. For example:
ed – hope + ed = hoped move + ed = moved picture + ed = pictured
ing – smoke + ing = smoking care + ing = caring amuse + ing = amusing
ion – educate + ion = education relate + ion = relation
ous – nerve + ous = nervous
But note these exceptions: courageous, sizeable
b) The suffixes ise and ize
With most words you have a choice of using either ise or ize.
For example:
Organize or organize, criticise or criticize, realise or realize.
Some people prefer ize because it is closer to the original Greek izo from which the ending is derived. But some words have to be spelled with ise because the origin is not Greek. For example: ‘supervise’ comes from super + the Latin visus, meaning seen (to oversee or manage). Which is why if you use ise you will always be right.
c) The suffixes ery, ary and ory
The suffix ery is usually added to a root word which can stand on its own without the suffix. For example:
slip + ery = slippery snob + ery = snobbery nurse + ery = nursery
But note these exceptions: mystery, stationery, surgery, cemetery
The suffixes ary and ory are usually part of the root word which cannot stand alone without the suffix. For example: library, February, laboratory, ordinary
d) The suffixes able and ible
The suffix able is used after root words that stand on its own.
For example: love + able = lovable (the e is dropped as above)
remove + able = removable value + able = valuable
The suffix ible is used after a part of a word which cannot stand alone.
For example: possible, visible, legible, sensible
RULE 7: More helpful suffix rules
a) When you add a suffix beginning with a vowel to a one-syllable word ending with a vowel and a consonant, you double the last letter.
For example:
slip + ing = slipping plan + ing = planning
beg + ar = beggar fit + ing = fitting
b) When you add a suffix beginning with a consonant to a one-syllable word ending with a vowel and a consonant, you do not change the word.
For example:
sad + ly = sadly wit + ness = witness skin + less = skinless
Exercise 5
Add suffixes to these words to create new words or extend the meaning:
forget limit require allot target travel gallop marvel small equal
civil appear permit present friend discover final skill extract repeat
sorrow transfer access corrupt observe employ social transfer
Some verb and noun endings
Some words sound the same but have entirely different meanings and end with a c or s depending on whether they are nouns or verbs. For example:
Verbs Nouns
practise practice
devise device
advise advice
license licence
‘The team have a practice every Saturday morning. They practise their passing skills.’
‘The tutor gave the student some good advice. She was advised to stop smoking.’
‘She passed her test and got a license. Unfortunately, she was not licensed to drive a heavy goods vehicle.’
What about words you always seem to get wrong? One way of remembering the correct spelling is to invent a mnemonic or memory aid. Mnemonic is a Greek word and is pronounced mnemonics without the m. Follow these steps:
Ø look closely at the word you got wrong and compare it to the correct spelling
Ø what exactly was wrong with your spelling?
Ø What do you need to remember about that word?
Ø Write the correct word and highlight the letters you need to remember
Ø Invent a memory aid or mnemonic
For example: suppose you misspell separate as seperate. You could remember the correct word with: “There’s a rat in separate.”
or
Sometimes finding another word within a word is useful. For example:
a secretary can keep a secret business can be a sin to get her = together
Weird elephants in red dresses (weird)
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