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Spelling is the order in which you put letters together to form words. When you write, you need to
What Is
Spelling?
There are a lot of words to
know how to spell, but
fortunately there are
spelling rules to help you.
There are some exceptions,
or words that break the
rules. But more words
follow the rules than break
them.
A Few Basic Rules
• Capitalize the following:
- People’s names: Jane,
John
- People’s titles: Dr.
Smith, Mrs. Barker
- Places, including
countries and regions:
America, the West
- Days, months, and
holidays: Tuesday,
January, Ramadan
- Nationalities and
languages: Spanish,
Ethiopian
- Titles of works of art,
like books and movies:
The Lord of the Rings,
Huckleberry Finn
• Every syllable of a word has
a vowel.
Examples:
sep-a-ra-tion
a-dor-a-ble
mis-in-ter-pret
• When a word has two
vowels in a row, the first
vowel usually has the long
sound and the second is
silent.
Examples:
meal (not mael)
boat (not baot)
pain (not pian)
• Adding a “silent” e to a
single-syllable word makes
the vowel sound long.
Examples:
glad —> glade
pin —> pine
dot —> dote
pet —> Pete
2 Spelling
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spell correctly so that your readers will easily understand what you’re saying. In the English
language spelling is especially important. We have many words that sound alike but are spelled
differently and mean different things.
Spelling Rules & Patterns
• The letter q is always Rules for Spelling • Words that end in silent e
followed by the letter u and - Drop the e when adding
makes the /kw/ sound.
Compound Words an ending that begins
• Join two words into one
Examples: with a vowel.
without changing the
quiet Examples:
spelling of either word.
quick behave + ing = behaving
Follow this rule even when
queasy cure + able = curable
the last letter of the first
• When a word ends in the globe + al = global
word is the same as the
/v/ sound, always add an e - Keep the e when the
first letter of the second
after the final v. ending begins with a
word.
Examples: consonant.
have Examples:
Examples:
five late + ly = lately
rain + coat = raincoat
drove state + ment = statement
sea + shore = seashore
• The letter c followed by the like + ness = likeness
book + keeper = bookkeeper
letter i, y, or e makes the - Keep the e when it
room + mate = roommate
soft s sound. follows the soft c or soft
Examples: g sound, and the ending
Exceptions:
cinder is -able or -ous.
all + together = altogether
cycle Examples:
past + time = pastime
century notice + able = noticeable
one’s + self = oneself
• The letters cc often make courage + ous = courageous
where + ever = wherever
the /ck/ sound. - Keep the e when adding
Examples: an ending to words that
raccoon Rules for Affixes end in -ee, -oe, or -ye.
hiccups Affixes are beginnings Examples:
occupy (prefixes) or endings agree + able = agreeable
• The letter g followed by the (suffixes and inflectional hoe + ing = hoeing
letter i, y, or e makes the endings) that you add to eye + ing = eyeing
soft g sound. a base word to change its
Examples: meaning or to form a new • Doubling the last
ginger word. Here are a few rules consonant
gypsy for spelling with affixes. - Double the last
gentle consonant when adding
• Spell the sound /ch/ with • Words that end in y a vowel suffix only if
the letters tch after a short - In most cases, change ★ the base word has
vowel. y to i before adding an one syllable, one
Examples: ending. short vowel, and one
kitchen Examples: consonant at the end.
hatchet deny + ed = denied Examples:
fetch fury + ous = furious plan + ing = planning
• The letter i comes before beauty + ful = beautiful hot + er = hotter
e except after the letter c - Keep the y if the ending pop + ed = popped
or when the syllable has a is -ing. ★ the stress in a two-
long a sound. Examples: syllable base word
Examples: fly + ing = flying falls on the second
thief, achieve, believe (ie) copy + ing = copying syllable
receive, deceit, ceiling (cei) - Keep the y when it Examples:
freight, weight, neighbor follows a vowel. commit + ed = committed
(long a sound) Examples: forget + able = forgettable
Exceptions: relay + ed = relayed begin + ing = beginning
either, foreign, height, prey + ed = preyed
leisure, seize, weird (ei)
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 Spelling Rules & Patterns (continued)
• Adding the ending -ion • Adding prefixes Examples: • For most words that end in
- Add -ion alone if the - When adding a prefix, stereo —> stereos f or fe, change the f to v and
word ends in t. do not change the spelling radio —> radios add -es.
Examples: of the base word, even zoo —> zoos Examples:
react + ion = reaction if the last letter of the leaf —> leaves
correct + ion = correction prefix is the same as the • Add -es to most nouns that wife —> wives
exhibit + ion = exhibition first letter of the base end in a consonant and an o. elf —> elves
- For words ending in te, word. Examples:
drop the silent e and Examples: tomato —> tomatoes • Some nouns do not change
add -ion. mis + spell = misspell potato —> potatoes at all when they become
Examples: im + mobile = immobile echo —> echoes plural.
radiate + ion = radiation un + interested = Examples:
communicate + ion = uninterested • Add -es to most nouns that fish —> fish
communication dis + inherit = disinherit end in ch, sh, s, or x. deer —> deer
pollute + ion = pollution Examples: species —> species
Don’t be overly hatch —> hatches premises —> premises
• Adding the ending -sion TIP! concerned about marsh —> marshes
- For words ending in t, spelling words correctly bus —> buses • Some nouns change the
change the t to ss before when you write a draft. It is
fox —> foxes vowel sound when they
adding the ending. important to first get your
become plural.
Examples: ideas down on paper. You’ll
have time afterward to revise • Change the y to i and add Examples:
permit + sion = permission
submit + sion = submission your writing and check for -es when the word ends in man —> men
admit + sion = admission spelling errors. a consonant and a y. foot —> feet
- For words ending in s, Examples: goose —> geese
simply add the ending. Rules for Spelling democracy —> democracies mouse —> mice
Examples: misery —> miseries
Plural Nouns treaty —> treaties • Some nouns have entirely
confess + ion = confession
profess + ion = profession different forms in the
• Add -s to make most nouns • Keep the y when the word plural.
possess + ion = possession
plural. ends with a vowel and a y. Examples:
- For words ending in d
Examples: Examples: child —> children
or silent e, drop these
book —> books turkey —> turkeys person —> people
letters before adding
umbrella —> umbrellas Monday —> Mondays ox —> oxen
the ending.
Examples: sleeve —> sleeves buoy —> buoys die —> dice
extend + sion = extension • Add -s to most nouns that
confuse + sion = confusion end in o.

Tips for Improving Spelling

There are many ways you can improve • Use a spell check. Use your
your spelling besides learning computer’s spell check, but don’t rely
spelling rules and commonly on it. A spell check will not correct COMMON PREFIXES
misspelled words. Here are some words that are spelled right but used Prefix Meaning Examples
tips that can help you. wrong. For example, if you meant to against or
anti- antibody, antifreeze, antithesis
type “plain” but typed “plane” instead, opposite to
• Read, read, read! Reading is one of
the spell check will not highlight or autobiography, autograph,
the best ways to improve your spelling. auto- self
correct the word. autoimmune
The more you read words that are time chronological, chronometer
• Identify parts of words. chrono-
spelled correctly, the more likely you contra-, against,
Understanding the different parts of a contradiction, counteract
are to spell the words right yourself. counter- opposite
word can help you spell it.
• Use a dictionary. When you’re not il-, im-,
- Syllables: Say a word out loud and illegal, immigration, incapable,
sure how to spell a word, look it up. in-, ir-, not
identify the different syllables, or irresponsible, unequal
Use the first two or three letters to un-
units of sound, that make up the
help you find it. interact, interchange,
word. Sound out each syllable and inter- between
international
When you use a dictionary to spell it by itself. intra- within intramural, intrastate
TIP! find the spelling of a word, Examples: macro- large macrocosmic, macroeconomics
you might also want to read the mis-in-form microchip, microscope,
definition of the word. This will help sub-ju-gate micro- small
microwave
you make sure you have chosen the em-bar-rass mis- wrong misinform, misspell, mistake
correct word for your writing. - Prefixes: Memorize the spellings and pre- before prehistoric, premeditate
meanings of common prefixes— re- again, back realign, regain, revision
• Create a list. Make a list of the letters added to the beginning of a sub- under submarine, submerge, subway
words you most often misspell. base word to change its meaning. supernatural, supersonic,
super- above
Underline the part of each word you Adding a prefix to a word does not superstar, supervision
find most difficult. Write any rules usually change the spelling of the trans- across transatlantic, transport, transpose
that can help you remember how to root word. Learn the spellings of
spell the words correctly. some words that use prefixes.

2
 Tips for Improving Spelling (continued)
- Suffixes: Memorize the spellings and meanings of some common - Use the Reverse Chain method. This method of practicing
suffixes—endings added to base words to form new words. Adding your spelling words is similar to Copy, Practice, Check
a suffix to a word often changes the spelling of the root word. (see below), except that you work with only parts of the
Review the section on affixes on pages 1–2 of this guide for rules. word. First, copy a word from a spelling list, saying each
letter out loud as you write it. Then on the next line,
COMMON SUFFIXES write the word again, but don’t write the last letter as you
Suffix Meaning Examples say it. On the next line, write the word again, saying the
-able, -ible able to be, capable of likable, flexible, responsible last two letters but not writing them. Continue this way,
-age act of, collection of acreage, mileage, storage skipping the last letter, until you are only writing the first
-dom condition, rank, state freedom, stardom, wisdom letter. Your paper might look like this:
-en made of golden, silken, wooden
-er, -or, deceit As you spell out each
one who manager, advisor, pharmacist
-ist decei TIP! word, try to recall any
-ful full of bountiful, careful, helpful dece spelling rule that might
-ion,
companion, aversion, infection, dec apply to it. For example, if you
-sion, being, the result of
-tion
rejection de are spelling out the word deceit,

-ish origin, nature foolish, selfish, Turkish d remind yourself that this word
follows the “i” before “e” except
the process of making after “c” rule. This will help you
-ize capitalize, modernize, rationalize
into associate rules with words.
-less without careless, defenseless, merciless
-logy field of study biology, cardiology, geology
Go to the top of your paper and spell the word out loud.
-ly like fearlessly, heartily, shamefully
Then fold the top of the page over so you can only see the
-ment act of, result amendment, contentment, fulfillment
word missing its last letter. Spell the word out loud and
-ness state of friendliness, openness, uselessness
-ous full of beauteous, gracious, ridiculous add the last letter. Fold the page over again and spell the
word, this time adding the last two letters. Continue until
you spell the whole word without looking.
• Recognize and use COMMON HOMOPHONES You can also use the reverse chain method by following the
homophones. A homophone bear/bare same procedure as above, but this time leaving out syllables
is a word that sounds like board/bored rather than letters. Your paper might look like this:
another word, but is spelled bolder/boulder
differently and has a different When spelling out
meaning. Learn some common
capital/capitol TIP! multisyllable words, respectfully
respectful
flew/flu/flue
homophone groups, like the here/hear focus on the smaller parts
ones in the table to the right, its/it’s that make them up. For respect
and choose the correct spelling mail/male example, if you are spelling re
depending on your meaning. pedal/peddle out the word respectfully,
principal/principle identify the prefix “re,”

mail/male
sees/seas/seize the root “spect,” and the
their/there/they’re suffixes “ful” and “ly.” Because spelling of these
small parts does not change, identifying them
here/hear
to/two/too
whose/who’s will help you spell the whole word correctly.
your/you’re/yore

• Memorize! Sometimes the only way to learn the spelling of a Be sure to pronounce
word is to memorize it. This is especially true for difficult words TIP! words correctly as you say
or words that don’t fit any spelling patterns. Try some of these them out loud. This will help you
techniques: spell them correctly. In other words,
- Practice spelling your words with someone else. Put your say “Arctic” instead of “Artic,”
“library” instead of “libery,” and
spelling words on flash cards and have a parent or friend
“athlete” instead of “athelete.”
quiz you.
- Say the word out loud as you write it. Sometimes it’s easier to
remember how to spell a word when you write it on paper.
Say the letters out loud as you write them. Stretch the sounds Copy Practice Check
of the word or break the word into syllables to listen for the
different letters.
- Use the Copy, Practice, Check method. Draw and label
a chart like the one shown on the right. Fold the Check
column underneath so you can’t see it. Copy the word you’re
practicing in the Copy column. Write the word again in the
Practice column. Then turn the paper over and write it in
the Check column without looking. Unfold the paper to
check your work. Continue this with all your spelling words.
Then read over your list, saying each word out loud two or
three times.

3
 Commonly Misspelled Words
Below are three lists of commonly misspelled words: words that are As you look at the lists, think about the spelling rules you learned in this
Easy, Average, and Challenging. Each word is listed with its guide and in your classroom and how a rule might apply to a word. If no
correct spelling and its most common misspelling (or misspellings). rule applies, then you need to memorize the correct spelling.

Correct Spelling Misspelling(s) Correct Spelling Misspelling(s) Correct Spelling Misspelling(s)

Commonly Misspelled religious religius missile misile, missil deterence,
Words – Easy rhyme ryme noticeable noticable deterrence deterrance,
Correct Spelling Misspelling(s) rhythm rythm ocasion, ocassion, detterrence
occasion
a lot alot seize sieze occaision diorama dierama
a while awhile separate seperate occurred ocurred, occured discipline disipline
absence absense, abscence Tenessee, Tenesee, paralel, paralell, ecstasy exstasy, extasy
Tennessee parallel
acceptable acceptible, aceptable Tennesse parralel enviroment,
environment
achieve acheive tomorrow tommorow, tomorow parliament parlament envirnment
address adress truly truely penninsula, exilarate, exhilerate,
peninsula exhilarate
twelfth twelf, twelth, twelvth peninnsula exilerate
apology apolegy, apoligy
until untill personel, personnell, Fahrenheit Farenheit, Farenhiet
beginning begining personnel
weather (noun) wether personell flourescent,
believe beleive fluorescent
Wensday, Wendsday, possession posession, possesion flouresent, fluoresent
business busness Wednesday
Wenesday precede preceed garantee, garante,
calendar calender guarantee
weird wierd preferable preferrable guarante
chili (noun) chilly, chilli
privelege, priviledge, harass harrass, harras, haras
cornel, kernel, corlnel, privilege
colonel
colnel Commonly Misspelled priveledge hypocrisy hipocrisy, hipocrasy
proceed procede inadvertent inadvertant
column colum Words – Average pronunciation pronounciation inane innane
coolly cooly
deceive decieve Correct Spelling Misspelling(s) pursue persue indispensable indispensible
desprete, desprate, acelerate, accelarate, raspberry rasberry innate inate
desperate accelerate
desperat acellerate recomend, reccomend, inoculate innoculate
recommend
difference differance accessory acessory, accesory reccommend intercede intersede, interseed
disappear disapear accidentally accidently referred refered irrisistible,
irresistible
disappoint disapoint accomplish acomplish rememberance, irresistable, iresistible
remembrance
eighth eigth accordion acordion, accordian remembrence liaison liason, laison
especially especialy acknowledge aknowledge restaurant restarant, restauraunt leutenant, lieutenent,
lieutenant
excellent exellent acquire aquire schedule scedule, skedule lutenant
exercise excercise, exersise aggression agression, aggresion sensible sensable maintainance,
maintenance
experience experiance amateur amatur, amature sargeant, saragent, maintenence
sergeant
explanation explaination apparent aparent, apparant sergent manageable managable
fascinate fasinate argument arguement siege seige maneuver manuver
February Febuary autobiography autobiografy tirany, tireny, tiranny, medevil, medeval,
tyranny medieval
candidate cantidate, canditate tirenny mideval
fiery firey
canteloupe, cantalope, tyrant tirant, tirent, tyrent memento momento
finally fineally, finaly cantaloupe
cantelope vacuum vaccum, vaccuum millenium, milenium,
foreign foriegn millennium
cartrige, cartredge, withhold withold milennium
friend freind cartridge
cartrege minuscule miniscule
fulfill fullfill
category catagory Commonly Misspelled mischevous,
generally genrally, generaly mischievous
cemetery cemetary mischievious
genius genious
census sensus Words – Challenging monestery,
grammar grammer monastery
chocolaty chocolatey, choclatey Correct Spelling Misspelling(s) monastary
grateful greatful
collectible collectable aberration abberation, aberation mortgage morgage
height hieght
committed commited, comitted accomodate, nauseous nausous, nauseus
horrific horific
congratulations congradulations accommodate acommodate, negligible negligable
illegal ilegal
conscience conshence, conscence acomodate occassionally,
imitate immitate
conscius, conscios, accumulate acumulate occasionally ocassionally,
immediate imediate conscious occasionaly
conshus aquaintance,
immigration imigration occurence, ocurence,
criticize critisize acquaintance acquaintence, occurrence
incapable incapabel ocurrence
defendant defendent aquaintence
inteligence, persevere perservere
intelligence defiant defient allege alledge, alege
intelligance
definite definit, definate anoint annoint pharaoh pharoh, pharoah
jewelry jewlry
embarass, embaras, atheist athiest playwright playwrite, playright
library libary, librery, libery embarrass
embarras beauteous beautious poignant poinant, poignent
lightning (noun) lightening
exceed exeed, excede brocoli, brocolli, presumtuous,
magically magicly broccoli presumptuous
existence existance broccolli presumptous
mischief mischef
extraordinary extrordinary camouflage camoflage propagate propigate, propegate
Misissippi, Missisippi,
Mississippi flotation floatation carborator, carburator, putrefy putrify
Mississipi carburetor
gauge guage, gage carburater questionaire,
misspell mispell questionnaire
hankerchief, Caribbean Carribean, Carribbean questionnair
necessary necesary, nececsary handkerchief
handkerchif Caucasian Caucasion relevent, revelent,
neighbor nieghbor, neighbour relevant
humorous humourous, humorus changeable changable revelant
no one noone
ignorance ignorence coliseum colliseum, coleseum renown reknown, renoun
octopus octapus, octupus
incidentally incidently collision colision ridiculous rediculous, ridiculus
particular particuler
incredible incredable commemmorate, simile similie, simily, smile
pastime pasttime
independent independant commemorate comemorate, subsistence subsistance
plesant, pleasent,
pleasant iresponsible, comemmorate superseed, superceed,
plesent irresponsible supersede
irresponsable conscienscious, supercede
publicly publically
judgment judgement conscientious concientious, tariff tarif, tarrif, tarriff
receipt reciept, receit, reciet
leisure liesure, lesure conscientous threshold threshhold
receive recieve
license lisense, licence consensus concensus, concencus tragedy tradgedy, trajedy
referance, refrance,
reference liquefy liquify copyright copywrite usage usege, useage
refrence
refridgerator, marshmallow marshmellow Dalmatian Dalmation vegetarian vegeterian
refrigerator desirable desireable vicious vichous, vicous
refrigerater miniature miniture

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