Spelling

The complete list of English spelling rules

English Spelling Rules 1

Here are some of the basic English spelling rules you should definitely know about.

Lesson 1: the "Magic" E

Lesson 2: Homophones

Lesson 3: Kn- and Wr- at the Beginning of Words

Lesson 4: Silent H

Lesson 5: -mn and -mb Combinations at the End of Words

Lesson 6: Silent G and Silent P

Lesson 7: Pronunciations of -ough

Lesson 8: Common English Prefixes

Lesson 9: Common English Suffixes

Lesson 10: C, K, CK, and QU

Lesson 11: Word Ending Sounds V, J, and Long E

Lesson 1: the "Magic" EThe first lessons will cover silent letters in English, starting with the "magic" e.

The "magic" e comes at the end of a word that ends in a single vowel and a single consonant (for example: pine. There is a single vowel, i, before a single consonant, n, and then the "magic" e).

This e at the end is "magic" because it changes the vowel sound. In these words, the first vowel "says its name" (sounds like its name). And of course, the "magic" e changes the meaning of the word.

The "magic" e itself is completely silent.

For example, let's look at the word cap.

A cap is a kind of hat that you wear on your head. This word is pronounced with a short a sound.

But what happens when we add the "magic" e at the end of the word? Well, the meaning of the word changes, and so does its pronunciation!

So, what is a cape?

A cape is a something superheroes wear on their backs! This word is pronounced with a long a sound because of the "magic" e at the end.

We say that the letter a "says its name" because it is pronounced just the way you would name the letter if you wanted to say its name in English.

Remember that the "magic" e is silent!

This rule applies with all five vowels in English: a, e, i, o, and u.

Here are some more examples with the vowel a:

at atemad madetap tapehat hate

All of the words in the first column have a short a sound, and all the words in the second column have a long a sound because of the "magic" e at the end.

Here are some examples with the vowel e:

pet Petemet mete

There are not many examples with the vowel e, but the same rule is true here. The words in the first column have a short e sound, and the words in the second column have a long e sound.

Here are some examples with the vowel i:

rid ridequit quitesit sitepin pine

The words in the first column have a short i sound, but the i "says its name" in the second column.

pine

Here are some examples with the vowel o:

hop hopecop copeslop slopecod code

The words in the first column have a short o sound, but the o "says its name" in the second column. These words have a long o sound.

Finally, here are some examples with the vowel u:

tub tubehug hugeus usecub cube

The words in the first column have a short u sound, but the u "says its name" in the second column.

You can ask someone how many cubes of sugar they like in their tea.

But you can be sure they do not want any cubs, baby bears, in their tea!

There are a few common exceptions to this rule, like the words "have," "come," or "love." But in general, the rules discussed above will apply.

Review

So, let's review what we have learned about the "magic" e in English:

1. The "magic" e itself is completely silent.

2. The "magic" e comes at the end of words that end in a single vowel and a single consonant.

3. The "magic" e makes the single vowel before it "say its name."

1) fat

2) cat

3) rat

4) dad

5) add

6) mad

7) glad

8) exam

9) back

10) marriage

11) have

12) class

13) fast

14) after

15) am

16) animal

17) fast

18) last

Say these words out loud (short A sound is bold):

Now say these sentences out loud (short A sound is bold):

1) The fat cat is chasing after the rat.

2) Dad is coming back after the party.

3) I am glad to finish this exam.

4) His first marriage made him mad. His second marriage were not so bad.

5) They have ten farm animals.

6) This class is progressing really fast.

7) The last hat I have left is black.

8) The cat and the rat are attacking a hat.

9) She has an orange bag.

Common long A spellingsThere are four common ways to spell the long A

sound:1. a / consonant / e

In root words, when you have this pattern

vowel / consonant / e

the vowel is a long vowel sound, and the final "e" is silent.

Say these words out loud (the long A sound is bold):

1) bake

2) rate

3) late

4) ate

5) cake

6) trade

7) made

8) date

9) name

10) grade

2. ai


1) wait

2) pain

3) drain

4) tail

5) stain

6) pail

7) nail

8) snail

9) rain

10) jail

3. ay


1) way

2) say

3) may

4) day

5) lay

6) ray

7) Monday

8) play

9) stay

10) away

4. eigh


1) eight

2) weight

3) neighbor

4) freight

5) eighteen

6) sleigh

7) eighty

8) neighborhood

There are a few other less common spellings of the long A sound. Here are some more long A words. (The long A sounds are in bold.)

1) rein

2) angel

3) Asia

4) apron

5) apricot

6) April

7) radio

8) patient

9) lazy

10) fatal

Now say these sentences out loud (the long A sounds are bold):

1) Stay away from the crazy neighbor!

2) I may travel to Asia in the month of April.

3) She ate eighteen grapes today.

4) Yesterday, I waited in the rain.

5) Did you say you had a date tonight?

6) Nick baked a cake for Thursday.

7) I listen to the radio on my way home from work each day.

8) I am afraid of pain.

9) Please put your name at the top of the paper.

Short E Sounde (pen, bed)

Say these words out loud (short E sound is bold):

1) bet

2) rest

3) bed

4) pen

5) said

6) spend

7) get

8) check

9) let

10) sweat

11) wet

12) yet

13) ten

14) again

15) ready

16) neck

17) head

18) when

Now say these sentences out loud (short E sound is bold):

1) I bet you haven't slept yet.

2) Get some rest.

3) When will you be ready?

4) He spends ten dollars a day.

5) My head is on my neck.

7) The floor is wet again.

8) He said: "Could you check if you have a pen?"

9) Can you help? Sure, no sweat (=no problem)!

10) Let's pet the cat.

Long E Soundi:(need, neat, me)

Common long E spellings

There are seven common ways to spell the long E sound:

1. e

Say these words out loud (the long E sound is bold):

1) me

2) be

3) she

4) he

5) we

Prefixes with the same spelling

6) pre-

7) de-

8) re-

2. eeSay these words out loud (the long E sound is bold):

1) need

2) see

3) bleed

4) feed

5) fee

6) tree

7) feel

8) flee

9) bee

10) seed

3. e_eSay these words out loud (the long E sound is bold):

1) theme

2) Japanese

3) delete

4) Chinese

5) even

6) these

7) compete

8) sincere

9) gene

10) eleven

4. ea 5. ei Say these words out loud (the long E sound is bold):


1) leave

2) read

3) meat

4) neat

5) meal

6) real

7) dear

8) heal

9) seat

10) leaf

1) receive

2) ceiling

3) receipt

4) perceive

5) conceit

6) seize

7) receiver

8) protein

6. ie 7. y or eySay these words out loud (the long E sound is bold):


1) relieve

2) priest

3) believe

4) brief

5) thief

6) shriek

7) piece

8) grief

9) relief

10) belief

1) key

2) monkey

3) turkey

4) valley

5) mainly

6) holy

7) friendly

8) silly

9) funny

10) lady

Now say these sentences out loud (the long E sounds are bold):

1) The friendly lady locked the door with the key.

2) I believe I feel tired this evening.

3) Please read the book.

4) She needs help learning to speak Japanese.

5) Didn't he see the monkey?

6) The priest took a seat.

7) The bee is on the leaf.

8) We cooked meat for dinner.

9) The thief will flee.

Short I SoundI (sit, hit)

Say these words out loud (short I sound is bold):

1) in

2) is

3) if

4) sit

5) hit

6) click

7) spin

8) ill

9) trip

10) busy

11) minute

12) will

13) with

14) sister

15) give

16) listen

17) miss

Now say these sentences out loud (short I sound is bold):

1) Come here and sit.

2) Kate is my sister.

3) If you stay I will stay too.

4) Try to hit that ball with your bat.

5) We will have a very nice trip.

6) I am really busy at this minute.

7) They will sit with you.

8) She will give us the bill.

9) Stay here and listen to me.

10) They miss the winter.

Long O Soundoʊ:(boat, know)

The Long O sounds is a long vowel sound. Long vowel sounds are vowel sounds pronounced the same as the name of the letter. Each vowel has a long vowel sound (Long A, Long E, Long I, Long O, Long U).

In English, long vowel sounds are usually the easiest vowel sounds to learn.

Common long O spellings

There are five common ways to spell the long O sound:

1. o_e

(o / consonant / silent e)

1) bone

2) smoke

3) phone

4) cone

5) wrote

Say these words out loud (the long O sound is bold):

6) whole

7) vote

8) choke

9) rope

10) home

2. ow


1) throw

2) row

3) blow

4) snow

5) bow

6) know

7) crow

8) glow

9) flow

10) show

3. oa



1) boat

2) moan

3) groan

4) oat

5) loan

6) loaf

7) toad

8) soap

9) oath

10) float

4. o (consonant / o / consonant)

1) hold

2) mold

3) folk

4) bolt

5) both

6) colt

7) fold

8) roll

9) holy

10) stroll

This spelling of the long O sound usually follows the format shown below:

consonant / o / consonant

However, it also includes words that end in O such as:

1) no

2) so

3) ago

4) go

5) zero

6) bingo

7) hello

8) disco

9) video

10) pro

Now say these sentences out loud (the long O sounds are bold):

1) Both of the colts ran home.

2) Throw the ball over the wall.

3) I will show you the video on my phone.

4) No, I will not go home with you.

5) The toad jumped on the road.

7) Hello! Do I know you?

8) Buy a loaf of bread and a bar of soap.

9) His boat will float in the ocean.

10) Please hold the rope.

Short O Soundɔ:(not, off, socks)

Short O at the beginning of a word:

Sometimes, the short O sound comes at the beginning of a word. Practice saying these words that begin with the short O sound. (The short O sound is in bold.)

1) off

2) on

3) onto

4) octopus

5) otter

6) October

7) olive

Short O in the middle of a word:

Most of the time, the short O sound comes in the middle of a word. Practice saying these words that have a short O in the middle. (The short O sound is in bold.)

1) got

2) pot

3) top

4) pop

5) hot

6) rot

7) crop

8) lot

9) cop

10) job

11) frog

12) sock

13) robin

14) mop

15) moth

16) doll

17) dolphin

18) stop

19) rob

20) drop

Now say these sentences out loud (the short O sounds are bold):

1) Stop! Drop a lot on top!

2) The robin flew off.

3) The moth landed on the hot bulb.

4) The dolphin swam away in October.

5) He has a job as a cop.

6) Tom got a lot of socks.

7) The frog hopped on the top.

8) The octopus stopped over there.

9) I like olives a lot!

10) Bob got onto the bicycle.

11) The dogs and otters were playing.

12) Stop! Look both ways before you cross the street!

13) I will crop the picture on top.

14) She made hair for the doll from a mop.

15) Turn the lights on and off.

16) The mop was a prop for the movie.

17) I got a dog!

18) He got off the bus on my street.

UH Soundʌ (cup, luck)

Say these words out loud (UH sound is bold):

1) us

2) up

3) sun

4) gun

5) run

6) ton

7) fun

8) love

9) above

10) some

11) gum

12) cut

13) done

14) none

15) stuck

16) duck

17) butter

18) does

Now say these sentences out loud (UH sound is bold):

1) They love us very much.

2) The sun is up in the sky.

3) The ducks will start to run.

4) Does she have some gum? I have none.

5) He is cutting the butter now.

6) I love ducks.

7) He got stuck with his truck.

8) She poured some juice from the jug into the mug.

9) We are done!

Now practice using the worksheet that you can down load here:

This is a PDF Worksheet. Just download and print.

http://www.keepandshare.com/doc5/11684/spelling-rules-magic-e-pdf-1-8-meg?da=y



Lesson 2: HomophonesLesson 2 talks about homophones.

Homophones are words that are spelled differently and have different meanings, but are pronounced in the same way.

We can see a good example in the picture above. The name of the letter b sounds the same as the insect called a bee.

There are many examples of homophones in English, and you will find more of them as you continue to study. In this lesson, we will look at some common examples.

For example, this is a cute teddy bear. We pronounce this word with a long a sound.

In this picture, the man's shoulders are bare. This means there is nothing covering them. Because of the "magic" e we learned about in lesson 1, this word is also pronounced with a long a sound.

So, bear and bare are homophones. They are spelled differently and have different meanings, but are pronounced in the same way.

Here are some more common examples of homophones with the "magic" e:ate eightwrite rightnose knowsthrone thrownsite sightrole roll

The words in the left column have a "magic" e, and the words in the right column are pronounced in the same way. But not all homophone pairs have a "magic" e in them.

For example, here are three very common words that all sound the same, but have different meanings:

to (a preposition)two (the number 2)too (a word that means "also")

There are two men in this picture. They are very happy to see each other. They want to say hello. They will hug each other, too!

To get started, here are some more common examples you should practice:

cent and sent

Henry does not have another cent in his pocket.

Everyone sent lots of letters today!

sale and sail

You can use a ship to sail on the ocean.There is a big sale at the store.

see and sea

Some people need glasses to see. Erica loves the beach and the sea.

new and knew

John loves his new books! No one knew what happened to the chair.

You will see many more examples as you continue to learn English. Look at the worksheet for this lesson to see many more homophone pairs.

ReviewSo, let's review what we have learned about homophones in English:

1. They are words that are spelled differently.

2. They have different meanings.

3. But they are pronounced the same way.

http://www.keepandshare.com/doc5/11685/english-spelling-rules-homophones-pdf-1-7-meg?da=y

Download and print the worksheet here.




Lesson 3: Kn- and Wr- at the Beginning of Words

This lesson talks about two common letter combinations at the beginning of words in English: kn- and wr-.

In both of these combinations, the first letter is silent. We only pronounce the second letter.

For example, spelling is very important if you want to write English correctly. The common verb "write" contains an example of the wr- combination at the beginning of the word. The w is silent, and the r is pronounced.

The same thing happens with the kn- combination at the beginning of a word.

Centuries ago, knights wore armor and protected people.

In this word, the k is silent, but the n is pronounced.

Since these two combinations are common, they are easy to recognize. Any time you see either of these combinations at the beginning of a word in English, you will know that the first letter is silent, and the second letter is pronounced.

Let's look at a few more examples of words with kn- at the beginning.

Before you open a door, you should knock. If the person inside says it is all right, you can use the knob to open the door.

The knob is the round handle that lets you open the door. Both of these words, "knock" and "knob," have kn- combinations at the beginning. So, thek is silent, but we pronounce the n.

Here are a few more common words like this:

knife

know

knit

knuckle

knot

knowledge

Now, let's look at some common words that begin with wr-.

For example, sometimes we wrap gifts in colorful paper so that people can enjoy opening them.

The word "wrap" begins with the wr- combination. So, the w is silent, but the r is pronounced.

Here are a few more common words like this:

wreck

wrist

wrinkle

writer

wrong

wrench

You will see other examples as you continue to study English. Learning these letter combinations is very useful because it will really help you to pronounce and spell English words correctly.

Look at our worksheet on kn- and wr- letter combinations for more examples of common words.


ReviewSo, let's review what we have learned about the kn- and wr- letter combinations in English:

1. These letter combinations are common at the beginning of English words.

2. The first letter is silent.

3. The second letter is pronounced.

http://www.keepandshare.com/doc5/11683/english-spelling-rules-wr-and-kn-combinations-pdf-1-5-meg?da=y



Lesson 4: Silent HThis lesson talks about a letter that is often, but not always, silent: the letter h.

The letter h is not always silent, but we will study some cases when it is not pronounced.

There is not a 100% certain rule about when you must pronounce the letter h, so be sure to check the pronunciation of new words in a dictionary if you are not sure.

Also, it is a good idea to keep a list of words with silent letters to help you remember. This article will cover the most common words with a silent h.

For example, the h is sometimes silent at the beginning of words.

If you want to know how long something takes, you can use an hourglass. The sand moves from the top to the bottom during a certain amount of time, for example, one hour.

The h is silent at the beginning of the word hour.

Here are some more examples of words with a silent h at the beginning:

honor

honest

heir

You can also find a silent h after the letter c in some very common English words.

For example, if your car is not working, you must take it to the mechanic.

In this word, the h is silent. We only pronounce the sound of the letter c.

Remember that the h is only sometimes silent after the letter c. Here are some more examples of words with a silent h after the letter c to add to your list:

chorus

chemistry

technology

echo

stomach

school

The h is also often silent after the letter w. However, this will depend a bit on the accent of the person who is speaking.

For example, the coach uses his whistle to get the players' attention.

This silent h is common in question words and a few other common words in English:

why

what

when

where

which

whisper

white

wheel

while

Finally, the h is also sometimes silent after the letter g, the letter r, or the ex- combination.

For example, drums are very important because they maintain the rhythm of the music.

Here are some common words with a silent h after the letter g or the letter r:

ghost

rhyme

rhinoceros

exhibit

exhausted

You will see some more examples as you continue to study English, but these are the most common words you will find with a silent h.


Review

So, let's review what we have learned about the silent h in English:

1. The h is only sometimes silent.

2. This happens often after the letter w at the beginning of a word.

3. It also sometimes happens after the letters c, g, r, or ex-.

Look at our worksheet on the silent h for practice and review.

http://www.keepandshare.com/doc5/11686/english-spelling-rules-silent-h-pdf-1-8-meg?da=y




Lesson 5: -mn and -mb Combinations at the End of Words

This lesson talks about two letter combinations with silent letters that often come at the end of words: -mn and -mb.

In these combinations, the m is pronounced, but the n or the b are silent.

First, we will look at words that end in the combination -mb. In these words, the m is pronounced, but the b is silent.

A common example is the word lamb, or a baby sheep. There are several other common words with this pattern.

For example, John's mother knows he took the cookies because he has crumbs on his shirt! Crumbs are little pieces of bread or cookie.

In this word, the m is pronounced, but the b is silent.

If you want to show that you like something or that everything is okay, you can point your thumb up.

Here are some more examples of words with the same pattern:

bombclimbcombdumblimbnumb

One special exception is the word plumber. The -mb combination does not come at the end of this word, but the b is still silent.

You can also find a silent n after the letter m at the end of some common English words.

For example, trees lose their leaves in autumn. This is the season between summer and winter.

In this word, the n is silent. We only pronounce the sound of the letter m at the end of the word.

Another example is the word hymn. This is a special kind of song that is usually religious.

Here are some more examples of words with the -mn combination at the end:column

solemn

condemn

It is important to notice that some of the words in these lists are verbs. That means that we might add an -s in the simple present tense or -ed in the simple past tense.

When this happens, the -mb or -mn combination is not at the end of the word, but the pronunciation does not change. We only pronounce the m.

For example, when a house is very old and not safe, the police can condemn it. That means that no one is allowed to live there.

So, we can say that the police condemned this old house five years ago. It is not safe to go inside. Even when we change the verb form, the n is still silent.

Look at our worksheet on the -mn and -mb combinations at the end of words for practice and review.


Review

http://www.keepandshare.com/doc5/11687/english-spelling-rules-worksheet-mn-and-mb-combinations-at-the-end-of-words-pdf-1-7-meg?da=y

So, let's review what we have learned about the silent n and b after an m at the end of words in English:

1. The m is pronounced but the n or b are not.

2. This usually happens at the end of a word, but if it is a verb, the pronunciation remains the same even if we change the verb form.



Lesson 6: Silent G and Silent PThis lesson talks about two letters that are sometimes silent in English: g and p. We will look at some common words and letter combinations in which these letters are not pronounced.

For example, the policeman is holding a stop sign. In this word, the g is silent. Only the n at the end of the word is pronounced.

In fact, you will find the -gn combination at the end of many English words. When this combination appears at the very end of a word, the g is not pronounced.

When someone is from a different country, we say that they are foreign. As you know, many people who are learning a new language go to a foreign country to study.

Because this word ends in -gn, the n is pronounced, but the g is silent.

Here are some more common words that follow this pattern:assignreignresignconsigndesign

aligncampaignsovereignbenign

Also, the words cologne and champagne, which end in -gne, follow the same rule for pronunciation. The g is silent, and only the n is pronounced. The e at the end is a kind of "magic" e, so it is also silent.

You will also find many common words in English that begin with gn-. In this case, the g is also silent.

For example, a gnat is an insect that looks like a very large mosquito.

In this word, the g is silent. We only pronounce the sound of the letter n at the beginning of the word.

Here are some other words that follow the same rule:

gnu

gnome

gnaw

Another letter that is often silent at the beginning of words is the letter p.

For example, a psychiatrist or psychologist is a special kind of doctor that helps people to solve emotional or mental problems.

In these words, the p is silent, but the s is pronounced.

Many words in English begin the same and follow the same pronunciation rule:psychic

psychology

psychiatry

psychotherapy

There are also a few words in English that begin with the pn- combination. A good example is pneumatic, which talks about something that works with air under pressure, or pneumonia, an illness of the lungs.

One other very common with a silent p is receipt. This is the little piece of paper you receive to prove that you bought something.


Review

So, let's review what we have learned about the silent g and p in English:

1. When a word begins or ends with the gn combination, the g is silent, but the n is pronounced.

2. When a word begins with ps- or pn-, the p is silent.

http://www.keepandshare.com/doc5/11682/english-spelling-rules-worksheet-silent-g-and-silent-p-pdf-1-5-meg?da=y



Lesson 8: Common English PrefixesThis lesson talks about some common English prefixes. We will see what they mean, how they are spelled, and common words that contain them.

A prefix is a series of letters that comes at the beginning of a word and has a specific meaning. There are many prefixes in English, but in this lesson we will focus on six of the most common.

When you see these prefixes, you will be able to understand the meaning of the word more easily.

1. Anti-

Josephine does not like to take pills, but she was very sick. The doctor told her to take some antibiotics.

An antibiotic is a medicine that fights bacteria. The prefix anti- means "against."

Here are some more common words with this prefix:

climax anticlimaxwar antiwarvirus antiviruscorruption anticorruption

Again, you will not always find an exact opposite for words that begin with anti-, but knowing this prefix will help you understand the meaning of the word.

2. Auto-Madeleine is writing her autobiography. She has had a very interesting life!

An autobiography is a book someone writes about their own life. The prefix auto- means "self."

Here are some more common words that begin with auto-:automobile

autopilot

autograph

autonomous

automatic

autoimmune

When you see a word that begins with auto-, you can guess that it means something about "self." Be sure to use a good dictionary to check the meaning of the word. Do not guess!

3. Dis-For example, when two people share the same opinion, we say that they agree. They have an agreement.

But, when the opposite is true, we say that they disagree. They have a disagreement.

The prefix dis- changes the meaning of the word. Dis- means "reverse" or "remove."

Here are some more examples:

advantage disadvantageappear disappearability disabilityapprove disapprovecomfort discomfortlike dislikerespect disrespect

There are many words in English that begin with this prefix. Although not all of them have a direct opposite, like the words in the table, dis- very often makes an opposite word.

4. Inter-

Agreements between different nations are called international agreements.

The prefix inter- means "between" or "among."

Here are some more common words that begin with inter-:

interact

intersect

interchange

interdependent

interface

interrelated

5. Sub-

India is a very large country. It is not a continent, but it is a subcontinent.

Sub- means "under," "below," or "less."

Here are some more common words that begin with sub-:

subconscious

subsoil

subterranean

submarine

subcategory

submissive

subordinate

6. Un-

Roberta is unhappy today.

The prefix un- usually means "not." This is a very common English prefix, and you will see it very often.

Here are some more common words that begin with un-:

unnecessary

unequal

untie

undesirable

unexpected

unacceptable

unreal

unwanted

unplug

unpack

undo

unfinished


Review

So, let's review what we have learned about common English prefixes:

Prefix Meaning ExampleAnti- against antiwarAuto- self autobiographyDis- reverse, remove disrespectInter- between, among interactiveSub- under, less subconsciousUn- not unexpected

http://www.keepandshare.com/doc5/11701/english-spelling-rules-worksheet-common-english-prefixes-pdf-1-9-meg?da=y




Lesson 9: Common English SuffixesThis lesson talks about some common English suffixes. We will talk about how suffixes work, how they are spelled, and how they will help you to understand English words and how they are used in sentences.

A suffix is a group of letters that comes at the end of a word and has a specific meaning. There are many suffixes in English, but in this lesson we will focus on ten of the most common.

We will look at the suffixes in groups because, in addition to their meaning, suffixes also can tell you what part of speech you are looking at.

We will start with nouns.

Noun suffixes

1. -istThe first two pictures in this article show scientists. The first picture is probably of a physicist. Perhaps the second picture is of a chemist, a biologist, or a geneticist.

Do you see the pattern? Words that end in -ist are always nouns, and this suffix means "a person who does an action" or "a person who believes in." There are many words with this suffix, but here is a list of some common ones:

artistlinguistpianistsocialistfeministcartoonistdentisthumoristspecialist

2. -ment

Unfortunately, these two people are having an argument.

The suffix -ment tells you that the word is a noun. This suffix means "action or process."

Here are some more common words that end in -ment:enjoymentmovementplacementshipmenttreatmentgovernmentpaymentrequirementimprovement

3. -ness

His happiness is very evident!

You will find many words in English that end in -ness. This suffix means "state of being" or "quality."

Here are some of the most common words with this ending. Remember that you will find many more of them, too:

businessillnessawarenesssicknesssadnessthicknesskindnessweaknessdarknessbrightnesssoftness

4. -ship

It is important to have some strong friendships, even if you do not have lots of friends.

The suffix -ship always indicates a noun, and it means "state or condition of."

Here are some very common words with this suffix:relationshipleadershipmembershipownershipchampionshipcitizenshipfellowshipkinshipdictatorshippartnership

5. -tion

You can find lots of information in books.

-tion is another extremely common noun suffix. It also means "a state of being." You will also find many words that end in slight variations of this suffix, including, -sion, -ition, -ation, or simply -ion. However, the most common is -tion.

Here are some common words with this suffix:

information

question

education

position

action

section

decision

situation

condition

production

population

operation

Adjective suffixes

6. -able, -ible

You can check your calendar to see when you are available.

When you see a word in English that ends in -able, you will know that you are looking at an adjective. The suffix -able can also appear as -ible, and they both mean "can be done."

Here are some more common words that end in -able or -ible:

possible

available

considerable

responsible

variable

reasonable

acceptable

suitable

visible

flexible

accessible

7. -ious, -ous

Sometimes we see signs that warn us about dangerous situations.

Words that end in -ious, -ous, or -eous are always adjectives. These suffixes mean "full of" or "having the quality of."

There are many words with this suffix in English. Here are some of the most common:

various

obvious

curious

enormous

anxious

conscious

generous

ridiculous

precious

famous

mysterious

delicious

8. -less

Our dog is harmless. He is so sweet! He would never hurt anyone.

The suffix -less tells you that the word is an adjective and this suffix means "without."

You will find lots of words with this suffix, but here are some of the most common:

endless

wireless

homeless

hopeless

helpless

meaningless

restless

pointless

careless

motionless

speechless

toothless

Verb suffix

9. -ize

She hopes that her children will help her organize the living room!

When you see a word that ends in -ize, you know that you are looking at a verb. There are many verb suffixes in English, but this is one of the most common. The suffix -ize (or -ise in British English) most often means "become."

Here are some of the most common English verbs with this suffix:

realize

recognize

emphasize

summarize

minimize

authorize

specialize

mobilize

stabilize

apologize

Adverb suffix

10. -ly

Lee worked hard all year. Now she finally has some time to relax.

When you see a word that ends in -ly, it is usually an adverb, but not always. The -ly suffix means "in what way."

You will find this suffix in many adverbs, but here are some of the most common examples:

really

exactly

usually

particularly

actually

simply

happily

sadly

especially

clearly

quickly

generally


ReviewSo, let's review what we have learned about common English suffixes:

Suffix Part of Speech Meaning Example

-ist noun a person whodoes an action scientist

-ment noun action or process argument-ness noun state of being happiness

-ship noun state or condition of friendship

-tion, -sion noun state of being information-able, -ible adjective can be done available -ious, -ous adjective full of dangerous-less adjective without harmless-ize verb become organize-ly adverb in what way finally

http://www.keepandshare.com/doc5/11702/english-spelling-rules-worksheet-common-english-suffixes-pdf-2-0-meg?da=y




Lesson 10: C, K, CK, and QU

This lesson talks about different letters to make the /k/ sound in English. We will look at some guidelines and examples so that you will feel more comfortable using the letters k, c, and the combination qu.

Kings and queens wear crowns.

These three words are all pronounced with /k/ sounds at the beginning, but they are all spelled differently. Do you know why?

We will start with the letter c, which is the most common letter used for this sound in English.

The letter C

1. Single C

Corey is a very active cat!

As you can see, the letter c can come almost anywhere in the word. It is used for a /k/ sound before consonants and the vowels a, o, and u.

The single c is the most common letter used for this sound. Here are some common examples:

actor

corn

bacon

direct

carry

picture

culture

pelican

2. Double CPeople have parties to celebrate special occasions.

As you learned in Lesson 1 of this series about the "magic" e, a single consonant between two vowels can mean that the first vowel is pronounced with a long sound instead of a short sound.

If the word needs to contain a short vowel sound before the /k/ sound, we can double the c in the middle of the word.

Here are some more common words with a double c pronounced with a/k/ sound after a short vowel sound:

account

broccoli

hiccup

accurate

occupy

tobacco

raccoon

accuse

The letter K

Janet and Emily are very kind. They love to share.

We saw above that the letter c is usually used for a /k/ sound before the vowels a, o, and u, but if the /k/ sound is before the vowels e, i, or y. (When the k comes before a y, it is almost always at the end of words.)

Here are some common examples of the letter k for a /k/ sound before an e, i, or y.

kingmakeskinskillriskypokerkeep

The letter k is also used at the end of one-syllable words after any sound except a short vowel sound.

For example:milktanksoakpeekcorkhawklookbark

The CK combination

Looking at the clock can be very stressful during a test!

The ck combination is used at the end of a one-syllable word after a short vowel sound.

Here are some common examples:

pickluckpackstickwrecklickduck

We also use the ck combination after a short vowel sound and before a vowel e, i, or y. This is a little less common.

Here are some examples:

rockingpickyluckyblackestpicnicking

The QU combination

Eleanor wants to ask a question.

The qu combination is also common in English, but it is important to remember that this has a /kw/ sound, not just a /k/ sound. It can have some different pronunciations, but this is the most common.

The letter q is not written alone in English, but is always followed by a u.

Here are some common examples of qu with a /kw/ sound:

quiet

squint

squash

queen

quarter

quack

quiz

square

require

quote


ReviewSo, let's review what we have learned.

1. The single letter c pronounced as /k/ can come almost anywhere in the word and comes before the vowels a, o, and u.

2. The double letter c pronounced as /k/ comes after a short vowel.

3. The letter k comes before the vowels i, e, or y. It also comes at the end of one-syllable words after any sound except a short vowel sound.

4. The ck combination is used at the end of a one-syllable word after a short vowel sound. Less commonly, it comes after a short vowel sound and before a vowel e, i, or y.

5. The qu combination is common in English and is pronounced as/kw/.

http://www.keepandshare.com/doc5/11709/english-spelling-rules-worksheet-c-k-ck-and-qu-pdf-1-7-meg?da=y




Lesson 11: Word Ending Sounds V, J, and Long E

This lesson talks about how to spell words that end with certain sounds in English: the /v/ sound, the /j/ sound, and the long e sound.

In English, it can sometimes seem difficult to know how to spell a new word you hear.

Here are some rules about how to spell three common sounds at the end of English words to help you.

1. The /v/ soundJeremy felt a little scared to go into the dark cave!

First, we will talk about words that end with the consonant sound /v/.

The most important thing to remember about this rule is that we are not concerned with the vowel sound here, only the final consonant sound.

Words in English do not end in the letter v. If you hear a /v/ sound at the end of a word in English, it will end in -ve. That final e is silent, so you will only hear and pronounce the /v/ sound.

But remember that this is not always a "magic" e. You will find many words in English that end in -ve, but have a short vowel sound before the v.

Here are some examples of common English words that end in -ve:

givedetectiveprovelovepositive

executivehavelovenegativeexclusive

talkativereservesaveactivealive

2. The /j/ sound

"Hello, I am Patricia! I will manage this project."

Words in English also do not end in the letter j. When you hear the /j/ sound at the end of an English word, it will end in -ge or in -dge.

So, when you see these letters at the end of an English word, you will remember that the e is silent, and you will only pronounce a /j/ sound.

Here is a list of some common words in English that end in -ge:

cageagearrangebaggagecarriagecollegepackagecabbage

damageenlargefootagemessagepageimageorangecharge

And here are some common words that end in -dge:

edgeridgewedgebridgebadge

fudgeknowledgejudgedodge

3. The long E sound

Goodness, he looks very angry!

Finally, we will talk about a common vowel sound at the end of words in English: the long E.

Except for some abbreviated words (like taxi) or words taken from other languages (like spaghetti), English words do not end in the letter i for this sound. Use the letter y.

Here are some common examples:

abilityfamilyplayfairyprettycarryhappyessay

quicklyentrystudycountrybodyeasyactivityprobably


Review

So, let's review what we have learned about these English word ending sounds:

1. The /v/ sound in English at the end of a word is spelled with -ve. Thee is silent, but it is not always a "magic" e.

2. The /j/ sound at the end of an English word is spelled with -ge or -dge. Here the e is also silent.

3. The long e sound at the end of an English word is spelled with a y.

http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/7621096/english-spelling-rules-worksheet-word-ending-sounds-v-j-and-long-e-pdf-1-8-meg?da=y




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