How to Learn Spelling
There are three ways to learn how to spell. Spelling Sound-by-Sound 1) Start by saying the word. 2) Listen to the sounds you can hear. 3) Say the word again, stretching out the sounds. 4) Snap the word back together. 5) Write a letter for each sound you hear. 6) Check. Were you right? 7) If you are wrong, you will need to 'sound out' the word again. Remember: A sound may be more than one letter (e.g. sh, ch), and don't forget the silent e. Spelling Syllable-by-Syllable 1) Start by saying the word and listening to the beats in the word. 2) Count the beats (syllables) in the word. 3) Draw a box for each syllable 4) Write each syllable in a box. 5) Say the word as you run your finger under the boxes. 6) Close your eyes and picture the letter sequence in each box. 7) Now write the word from your memory. 8) Check. Does it look right? 9) You may need to study the word again. 10) Remember, always write from your memory. Spelling from Memory 1) Start by writing the word in large letters. 2) Look at the word and say it 2 or 3 times. 3) Close your eyes and picture the word. 4) Open your eyes and check. Were you right? 5) Close your eyes and picture the word again. 6) Write it in the air with your finger. 7) Open your eyes and check. Were you right? 8) Now write the word on paper from memory. 9) Check. Were you right? 10) If you are wrong, you will need to study the word again. 11) Remember, always write from your memory. The following document lists words and their meanings which are commonly confused. Use it as a reference guide. |
Spelling Rules
1) Doubling When a syllable contains a short vowel followed by one consonant, that consonant is doubled before adding an ending. Do not double the consonant if there are already two consonants. E.g. shop shopping shopped pack packing packed big bigger biggest 2) Words ending in e Drop the e before adding an ending beginning with a vowel or the letter y. E.g. ride -> riding hope -> hoped shine -> shiny fame -> famous safe -> safer fine -> finest Keep the e before adding an ending with a consonant. E.g. use -> useful close -> closely amaze -> amazement pale -> paleness safe -> safety price -> priceless 3) Words ending in y. If the letter before the y is a consonant, change the y to i and add es. E.g. baby -> babies dry -> dries lady -> ladies cry -> cries If the letter before the y is a vowel, just add s. E.g. boy -> boys day -> days toy -> toys play -> plays 4) Words ending in f Follow these two simple rules to write the plural of nouns ending in f. a) If you hear the f in the noun plural, just add s. E.g. roof -> roofs. b) If you hear v in the noun plural, change the f to v and add es. E.g. self -> selves. 5) i before e except after c. In words where ie represents the long e sound, i is generally before the e. For example, piece, siege, field. However, the e is written before the i after a c. For example, receive, ceiling, conceited. Here are some exceptions to this general rule: their geisha protein seize weir weird caffeine species foreign forfeit |