Spelling rules
Spelling is an integral part of any educational curriculum. Spelling refers to the way a word is spelled. ORTHOGRAPHY is a sequence of letters composing a word. Spelling is important for communication. It has a direct impact on employment opportunities. Memorization practice is needed to become a good speller. Now let’s see the spelling rules for one syllable words.
One syllable words
A unit of pronunciation with one vowel sound and with or without consonants. Dividing the words into syllables is called syllabification.
One syllable word – fat (clap once)
Two syllable word – fat – ter(clap twice)
Three syllable word – ba – na – na(clap thrice)
Four syllable word – cal – cu – la – tor(clap four times)
Five syllable word – su – per – an – ge – lic(clap five times)
Six syllable word – cir – cum – na – vi – ga – tion(clap 6 times)
Seven syllable word – im – mea – sur – a – bi – li – ty(clap 7 times)
Eight syllable word – bi – o – de – gra – da – bi – li – ty(clap 8 times) and so on.
There are three rules for one syllable words.
Rule 1
One – syllable words ending in single vowel + single consonant =
double the consonant before a suffix beginning with a vowel.
flat + er = flatter flat + est = flattest
stop + ed = stopped stop + ing = stopping
run + ing = running jog + ing = jogging
grab + ing = grabbing trip + ing = tripping
rob + er = robber chop + ing = chopping
swim + ing = swimming cut + ing = cutting
beg + ed = begged rub + ing = rubbing
sad + est = saddest slap + ing = slapping
Rule 2
One – syllable words ending with two consonants =
just add ‘ed’.
vote + ed = voted
rest + ed = rested
wish + ed = wished
paint + ed = painted
boat + ing = boating
Rule 3
One – syllable words ending two vowels =
just add ‘ing’.
Two vowels work together to form a new sound. This is called a DIPHTHONG.
cloud + ed = clouded
boil + ed = boiled.
fear + ing = fearing.
Two/three syllable words
A two syllable word is a word that has two specific sounds when spoken. The easiest way to teach kids is to clap out the syllables as they say the words.
Rule 1
Words ending in single vowel + single consonant =
double the final consonant if the last syllable is stressed.
permit + ed = permitted
occur + ed = occurred
control + er = controller
begin + ing = beginning
Rule 2
Words ending in single vowel + single consonant =
DO NOT double the final consonant if the last syllable is NOT stressed.
suffer + ing = suffering
benefit + ed = benefited
Rule 3
A few exceptions for the words like;
handicap + ed = handicapped
kidnap + er = kidnapper
worship + ed = worshipped
British English
If the stress does not fall on the last syllable –
the consonant ‘l’ is doubled.
cancel + ed = cancelled
travel + er = traveller
level + ed = levelled
quarrel + ed = quarrelled
distil + er = distiller
signal + ing = signalling
One exception to this case;
parallel + ed = paralleled
Silent 'e'
Rule 1
For words ending in silent ‘e’, drop the ‘e’ before a suffix beginning with a vowel.
bake + ing = baking
drive + er = driver
ride + ing = riding
move + ed = moved
hope + ing = hoping
live + ing = living
Silent 'e'
Rule 2
The ‘e’ remains before a suffix beginning with a consonant.
hope + ful = hopeful
engage + ment = engagement
Silent 'e'
Rule 3
A few exceptions;
whole + ly = wholly
nine + th = ninth
awe + ful = awful
due + ly = duly
true + ly = truly
argue + ment = argument
'ce' , 'ge'
Rule 1
For words ending with ‘ce’ and ‘ge’ keeps the ‘e’ when adding ‘able’ / ‘ous’.
change + able = changeable
courage + ous = courageous
peace+ able = peaceable
notice + able = noticeable
Rule 2
‘c’ and ‘g’ are pronounced soft before ‘e’. The ‘e’ is retained to avoid confusion.
singe + ing = singeing(preparation process of textile) – to avoid confusion with ‘singing’.
swinge + ing = swingeing(large or extreme in size) – to avoid confusion with ‘swinging’.
'ee'
Words that end in ‘ee’ do not drop an ‘e’ before a suffix.
flee + ing = fleeing
agree + ment = agreement
see + ing = seeing
'ie'
Words that end in ‘ie’ change to ‘y’ when ‘ing’ is added.
vie = vying
lie = lying
tie = tying
die = dying
'y'
Rule 1
Words that end in ‘y’ following a consonant changes to ‘i’ before a suffix except ‘ing’.
beauty + ful = beautiful
happy + ly = happily
carry + ed = carried
marry + age = marriage
'y'
Rule 2
Exception
marry + ing = marrying
carry + ing = carrying
'y'
Rule 3
‘y’ following a vowel does not change.
play + er = player
pray + ed = prayed
'y'
Rule 4
Exception
lay + ed = laid
say + ed = said
pay + ed = paid
day + ly = daily
gay + ly = gaily
'or' comes after 'w'
Rule 1
When ‘or’ comes after a ‘w’ it is pronounced as “wer“.
worth, work, worship, worst, word, work, world, worm, worthy.
Exceptions:
wore, worried, worry.
'g'
Rule 1
When ‘g’ is followed by ‘i’, ‘e’, or ‘y’, it is pronounced as ‘j’. Or else ‘g’ is pronounced as ‘ga’ as in ‘guide’.
gymnastic, gentle, giant.
gold, glass, grow, gallon, guide.
Exceptions: got, get, girl, begin, geese, gear, give, geyser, gift, girth, giddy.
'c'
Rule 1
When ‘c’ is followed by ‘i’, ‘e’, or ‘y’, it is pronounced as ‘s’. Or else ‘c’ is pronounced as ‘k’ as in ‘cat’.
circle, cycle, center, ceiling.
cream, curious, cat, cow, clever, cottage.
'ie' / 'ei'
Rule 1
When you pronounce ‘ie’ / ‘ei’ as ‘ee’, i comes before ‘e’ except after ‘c’.
receive
deceive
deceit
conceive
conceit
receipt
yield
field
achieve
grieve
relieve
believe
'ie' / 'ei'
Rule 2
Exceptions
protein
seize
weird
surfeit
plabeian
counterfeit
'q'
Rule 1
‘q’ cannot stand on its own and so it is always written as ‘qu’.
queue, queen, quick, quarrel, quail, quiet, quiz, question, quilt, quad, quack, quotation, quite, quest, quit, quarter, quill.
