Basic Spelling Rules
The English language has two
kinds of letters: vowels and consonants. The vowels are a, e, i, o, u and sometimes y or w. The consonants are the letters
that are not vowels: b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v, w, x,
z.
Long vowel: We hear the
sound of the letter just as it is when we recite the alphabet.
Examples: A long a is pronounced like the a in the words: make, cake, take, ache.
Short vowel: The sound of
the vowel is soft.
Example: A short a is pronounced like the a in the words: mask, task, act, jack,
bag.
1. Short-Vowel Rule: When one-syllable words have a vowel
in the middle, the vowel usually has a short sound: Examples: cat, dog, man,
hat, mom, dad, got.
If the letter after the
vowel is f, l, or s, this letter is often doubled.
Examples: staff, ball, pass.
2. Two-Vowels Together: When two vowels are next to each
other, the first vowel is usually long (the sound is the same as the sound of
the letter) and the second vowel is silent. Examples: meat, seat, plain, rain,
goat, road, lie, pie.
3. "Vowel-Consonant- e" Pattern: When a short word, or the last
syllable of a longer word, ends in this pattern: vowel--consonant--e, the first
vowel is usually long and the e is silent. Examples: place, cake, mice, vote,
mute.
4. Y as a long i: The letter Y makes the long sound of I when it comes at the end of a short
word that has no other vowel. Examples: cry, try, my, fly, by, hi.
5. Y as a long e: When y or ey ends a word in an
unaccented syllable, the y has the long sound of e. Examples: money, honey,
many, key, funny.
6. I before E: Write i before e when the sound is
long e except after the letter c. Examples: relieve, relief, reprieve. Notice
the change when there is a c preceding the ie: receipt, receive, ceiling,
deceive, conceive.
7. E before I: Write e before i when the sound is
long a. Examples: weight, freight, reign.
8. Oi or Oy: Use oi in the middle of a word and
use oy at the end of a word. Examples: boil, soil, toil, boy, toy.
9. Ou or Ow: Use ou in the middle of a word and
use ow at the end of words other than those that end in n or
d. Examples:
mouse, house, found, mount, borrow, row, throw, crow.
10. Double Consonants: When b, d, g, m, n, or p appear
after a short vowel in a word with two syllables, double the consonant: b, d,
g, m, n, or p. Examples: rabbit, manner, dagger, banner, drummer.
11. The "ch" sound: At the beginning of a word, use "ch." At the end of a word, use "tch." When the "ch" sound is followed by ure or ion,
use t. Examples:
choose, champ, watch, catch, picture, rapture.
(Source - Unknown)
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NOOJILLA SRINIVAS
Lecturer in English
Govt. Degree College,
Alamuru,
Andhra pradesh - India
M: 7981862200
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