Spelling
Rules

This is a partial list of
the many, many spelling rules.  Please keep in mind that there are
exceptions to every rule.  There are also many words that are non-phonetic
and do not follow any rules.  These words must be memorized.

Definitions

1. Consonants:

A.
Single consonant: All of the alphabet except a,
e, i, o, u.

B.
Consonant diagraphs: two consonants which together make one consonant
sound

1.
Basic diagraphs: ch, sh, th,
wh, ng, nk

2.
Other diagraphs: ck, ph, gh, wr, kn, gn, mn, mb

C.
Blends: two or three consonants said together, each keeping its own  sound: br, cr, dr, fr, gr, pr, tr, scr, bl, cl, fl, gl, pl, sc, sk, sm, sn, sp,st, sw, tw

2. Vowels:

A.
Single vowels: a, e, i, o, u, sometimes y

B.
Vowel diagraphs: a single vowel is always long, the second silent:
ai, ay, ea, ee, ei, ie, oa, oe, oo, ou, ow, ue, ui

3. Syllable: a word
or part of a word that contains one vowel sound

4. Suffix: an
ending added onto a root word: er, ed, ing, est

Phonetic
Rules for Spelling

1. Vowel Rule 1:
When there is only one vowel in a word or syllable and the vowel comes
between two consonants, the vowel is usually short.

ex. back, fed, gun, cut, fig

2. Vowel Rule 2:
When there is only one vowel in a word or syllable and the vowel comes at the
beginning of the word, the vowel is usually short.

ex: egg, off, it, add, us

3. Vowel Rule 3:
When there are two vowels in a word or syllable, the first vowel is usually long
and the second is silent.  "When 2 vowels go walking, the first one does
the talking."

ex: maid, hear, cute, coat, tied

4. Vowel Rule 4:
end, the vowel is usually long.

ex: why, no, he

5. Vowel Rule 5:
When a is followed by u, w, r, ll, and lt in the same syllable,
it often has the third sound of a, the Italian a.

ex: haul, pause, scar, fall, pawn, fault

6. Vowel Rule
6:  When Y comes at the end of a two or more syllable word, Y has the
sound of long e if the Y syllable is unaccented.

ex: funny, penny, soapy, flaky, tidy

7. Vowel Rule 7:
When Y comes at the end of a two or more syllable word, Y has the sound of long
i if the Y syllable is accented.

ex: defy, comply, identify, supply, multiply

8. Vowel Rule 8:
When words  end with the suffix -ing, -ed, or -er, thee first vowel
is usually short if it comes between two consonants.

ex: skinned, helper, canned, robber, shunned

9. Vowel Rule 9:
When words end with the suffix -ing, -ed, or -er, the first vowel is
usually long if it comes before a single consonant.

ex: tamer, noted, user, zoning, cubed,

Basic Spelling
Rules

1.-ck: The /k/
sound at the end of a one syllable, short vowel word is usually spelled
-ck. It is also used in two syllable words ending in -et and -le.

ex: back, flick, truck, neck, clock

ex: jacket, tickle

2. The letter c  usually has the soft sound of /s/ when it comes before
an e, i, or y. It has the hard sound of /k/ when it
comes before an a, o, or u.

ex: city, cell, cycle

ex: come, can, cut

3. The letter g usually
has the soft sound of /j/ when it comes before an e, i, or y. It has the hard sound when it comes before
an a, o, or u.

ex: gym, gem, gin

ex: go, game, gun

4. FLOSS Rule: In a one
syllable word double the final f, l, s, and z after a single vowel.

ex: staff, tell, miss, buzz, roll

(common exceptions: if, clef, gas, this, us, yes, bus, plus)

*Final -s sounded as /z/
is never doubled.

ex: as, is, was, has, his

5. -tch: Use -tch to spell the
/ch/ sound after one short vowel at the end of a one
syllable word and also in a few two syllable words.

ex: patch, itch, stretch, kitchen

(common exceptions: such, much, rich, which)

6. -dge: Use -dge to spell the /j/
sound after one short vowel on the end of a one syllable word and also in a few
two syllable words.

ex: judge, bridge, dodge, gadget

7. Silent -e:

A.
Silent -e on the end of a word "makes" the single vowel before it  long.  This is called the "magic e rule."

ex: hop-hope, can-cane, pin-pine, cut-cute

B.
It makes y = /i/- type, style

8. -ve: A final /v/ sound is always spelled -ve.

ex: gave, have, behave

9. -zz, -ze:
A word never ends with a single z.

A.
Use -zz after a short vowel.

B.
Use -ze after long vowels or vowel combinations

ex: fizz, buzz, freeze, ooze

10. q, v, w, x, and y:  These letters are
never doubled.