Secondary Literacy Guide

Basic Spelling Rules

Doubling Rule IF there are 3 √ ’s,double the final consonant. √ 1. One syllable.

√ 2. Short vowel in base word before a single consonant. √ 3. Vowel suffix, such as -- - ing, -- - er, or -- - ous. Examples: mat+ed = matted, clap+ing = clapping, sad+ness = sadness, bad+ly=badly, Rarely Double: C, H, Q, W, X, Y Advanced Doubling for Multisyllabic Words IF there are 4 √ ’s, double the final consonant. √ 1. Multisylabic. √ 2. Short vowel in base word before a single consonant. √ 3. Vowel suffix, such as -- - ing, -- - er, or -- - ous. √ 4. Last syllable accented. Example: forgotten, occurred, regretted, controller, beginning Non-- - examples: happened, orbiting, editor, benefited, conquering, gardener, forgetful, suffering Drop e Rule IF there are 2 √ ’s, drop the e and add the suffix. √ 1. Base word ends with an e. √ 2. Vowel suffix (such as -- - ing, -- - er, or -- - ous) Examples: care+ ed = cared, fame + ous = famous, care + ful= careful, base + ment = basement Words cannot have three e's in a row. Three e’s make you sneeze (and are not allowed) Examples: tree+ed=treed Exceptions: truly, duly, awful, hoeing, mileage, wholly, argument, fiery, ninth, judgment After a final c or g, retain the e when the suffixes start with o and a to keep the soft sounds. Examples: knowledgeable, courageous, noticeable y to iRule IF there are 2 √ ’s, change the y to i and add the suffix. √ 1. Base word ends with y. √ 2. Consonant before the y (pony, but not monkey) Examples: try+ es =tries rely + able= reliable happy + ness = happiness A y followed by an i suffix retains the y. *** Two i’s are unwise. Examples: reply+ing= replying, trying, spying, babyish, worrying Examples of exceptions: say, said; pay, paid; lay, laid; day, daily; gay, gaily; slay, slain, shyly, dryly, spryly,wryly.shyness, dryness, wryness, slyness, spryness

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