andic, adj.

Andisol, n.
andosol, n.
Apterygota, n.
apterygote, adj. and n.
apterygotous, adj.
archicortical, adj.
archistriatal, adj.
Audiencia, n.
auding, n.
audio dub, n.
audio dub, v.
audio dubbing, n.
audiologic, adj.
audiological, adj.
audiophilia, n.
audist, n.
basal cell, n.
beforeafter, adj.
blue belly, n.
Blue Dog, n.
blue duck, n.
Blue Ensign, n.
blue flag, n.1
blue flag, n.2
blue heron, n.
blue point, n.2 and adj.
blue skin, n.
blue tick, n.1
blue-bellied, adj.
blue-blind, adj. (and n.)
blue-blindness, n.
blued, adj.
bluefin, n.
blue-footed, adj.
bluegill, n.
blue-gummed, adj.
blue-headed, adj.
blue-leaved, adj.
Bluenoser, n.
blue-ringed, adj.
blues and twos, n.
blues, v.
blue-spotted, adj.
blue-tick, n.2
blueward, adj. and adv.
bluewards, adv. and adj.
boccia, n.
braggadocious, adj.

butyrolactone, n.
Cambridge blue, n.
Cariban, n. and adj.
Chromel, n.
clunker, n.
coprime, adj.
cred, n.1
credentia, n.
creolist, n.
creolistics, n.
cycloheximide, n.
defriend, v.
downlink, n.
downlink, v.
Entisol, n.
Galibi, n. and adj.
Gambel, n.
gambusia, n.
game point, n.
gamergate, n.
gammaridean, adj. and n.
gamolenic, adj.
gamone, n.
Gamp-like, adj.
gangling, adj.1
gangling, n.
ganglionopathy, n.
gelisol, n.
herb of Paraguay, n.
hereditarianism, n.
heredito-, comb._form
hoki, n.
isotretinoin, n.
Nung, adj.1 and n.2
Nung, n.1 and adj.2
podium, v.
serious, adj.1
seriousness, n.1
smart pill, n.
Smarties, n.
smarting, n.2
SSD, n.
StrmpellMarie, n.
symptothermal, adj.
tretinoin, n.
uplink, v.
viscidium, n.
vulcanologic, adj.
whip-smart, adj.

Newsubentries

audience chamber
audience involvement
audience-friendly
audio amplifier
audio CD
audio conference
audio conferencing
audio file
audio guide
audio recording
audio signal
audio text
audio tour
audio-dubbed
audiographics
audiometrically
audio-tactile
audiotaping
before-ganger
before-tax
blue agave
Blue Albion
blue antelope
blue badge
blue beret
Blue Blouse
blue catfish
blue channel
blue corn
blue cornmeal
blue crab
blue crane
blue currant
blue duiker
blue fig
blue fig tree
blue flash
blue flat
blue flu
blue gentian
blue giant
blue grama
blue grama grass
blue grenadier
blue gromwell
blue grouse
blue heaven

blue helmet
blue hole
blue huckleberry
blue ice
blue jet
Blue Lake
blue lias
blue marlin
blue mass
blue monkey
blue mussel
blue norther
blue oclock
blue paper
blue penguin
blue plaque
blue quail
blue racer
blue sheep
blue shortness
blue skies research
blue spike
blue spiraea
blue spruce
blue stain
blue stain fungus
blue succory
blue tang
blue wildebeest
blue willow
blue wren
bluebeak
blue-berried
blue-edged
blue-eyed Mary
bluefaced Leicester
bluefishing
blue-footed booby
blue-hair
blue-headed parrot
blue-headed wagtail
bluejoint
bluejoint grass
blue-lipped
blue-pointed
blue-ribbon jury
blue-ribbon panel
blue-ringed octopus
blues party

blues rocker
blue-sensitive
blue-sky research
blues-rock
bluestem
bluestem wheat
blue-tailed
blue-tick coonhound
blue-tongued skink
Bluetooth-enabled
blue-uniformed
brown rat
Caribbean English
Caribbean sea
Caribbean-style
CLI
common loon
control group
credit account
credit agency
credit bureau
credit card company
credit card details
credit card number
credit card-sized
credit crisis
credit default swap
credit derivative
credit event
credit history
credit limit
credit list
credit reference agency
credit score
credit scoring
credit sequence
credit standing
creditable-looking
creditive letter
Creole black
creole continuum
electoral vote
feature phone
feature-complete
finite state machine
fire-smarting
friend in high places
friend Indian
friend of (also to) the court

friend of the court

friend of the people
friend to the court
friend with benefits
friend zone
friendly bacteria
friendly fire
Friendly Games
Friendly Islands
friend-of-the-court brief
friendship centre
friendship plant
friendship quilt
friendship ring
friendship treaty
functionality
Gambels Oak
Gambels partridge
Gambels quail
gambling cock loft
gambling ken
game cartridge
game chip
game engine
game fishing
game hunter
game misconduct
game misconduct penalty
game port
game programmer
game publisher
game reviewer
game room
game winner
game-changer
game-changing
game-designer
game-developer
game-legged
gamepad
games cartridge
games designer
games developer
games kit
games port
games programmer
games publisher
games teacher
gametangial

gamete intrafallopian transfer

gametically
game-time
game-time decision
gametoblast
gametocytogenesis
gametospore
game-winning
gaming machine
gamma camera
gamma cellulose
gamma distribution
gamma knife
gamma-HCH
gamma-hydroxybutyrate
gamma-linolenic acid
gammocking
gammon iron
gamolenic acid
gang activity
gang affiliation
gang crime
gang culture
gang feud
gang girl
gang hook
gang kid
gang member
gang membership
gang mower
gang name
gang show
gang switch
gang tackle
gang tackling
gang tattoo
gang turf
gang violence
gang worker
Gangetic crocodile
Gangetic dolphin
ganglionic mass
ganglord
gang-related
gangrenized
gang-tackle
glossy starling
goalball
ham steak

HCH
hereditary lands
heredito-syphilitic
hydroxybutyrate
little blue penguin
little penguin
my honourable friend
my learned friend
my noble friend
my right honourable friend
right of appearance
right of audience
serial adulterer
serial comma
serial data
serial entrepreneur
serial interface
serial murderer
serial port
serial rapist
series-resonant
shower gel
smart antenna
smart apple
smart box
smart chip
smart cookie
smart fabric
smart growth
smart highway
smart material
smart meter
smart quotes
smart road
smart sanction
smart tag
smart talk
smart talker
smarted-up
smart-talk
smart-talking
switch plate
Test series
VEI
volcanic arc
volcanic cone
volcanic crater
volcanic explosivity index
volcano-seismic

manular
(adjective) : strong and muscular : manly
Submitted by: Alisa Steinhauer from Nevada on May. 06, 2013 16:45

glurge
(noun) : a sappy story often purported to be true and meant to be inspirational and uplifting
Submitted by: Apple from Philippines on May. 05, 2013 21:36

agyrophobia (noun) : abnormal fear of crossing the road

Submitted by: Anonymous on May. 05, 2013 13:22

ossicone
(noun) : one of the horns on a giraffe
Submitted by: Anonymous on May. 05, 2013 12:55

hippopotomonstrosequippedaliophobia (noun) : the irrational fear of long words

Submitted by: Anonymous on May. 05, 2013 12:53

windanizing (noun) : an act of looking at an object (such as a weather vane, windsock, or flag)
outdoors to determine which way the wind is blowing

Submitted by: Robert R Evans / Marblemanbob from Idaho on May. 05, 2013 11:07

respondable (adjective) : able to be responded to : suitable for responding

The user submitted a question via Twitter, but the question was notrespondable.
Submitted by: Andy from Wisconsin on May. 04, 2013 15:19

unallocable (adjective) : not able to be allocated

The trophy is unallocable across the team of soccer players.
Submitted by: Greg from Texas on May. 03, 2013 15:30

eonnanade (noun) : a cannon

Submitted by: Anonymous on May. 03, 2013 10:20

hubritic (adjective) : having hubris : hubristic

His character is hubritic.
Submitted by: on May. 03, 2013 01:17

unfortunism (noun) : an unfortunate act, event, or condition

Submitted by: Ryan Adams from Canada on May. 03, 2013 00:33

parannoying
(adjective) : annoying and causing paranoia
Submitted by: libby from Mississippi on May. 02, 2013 18:36

jerkosity (noun) : the extent to which someone is a jerk : how obnoxious or annoying
someone is

Submitted by: Lonnie from Louisiana on May. 02, 2013 15:55

sjw (abbreviation) : social justice warrior

Submitted by: Anonymous on May. 02, 2013 14:02

potna (noun) : a friend or companion

Submitted by: Hen-G from Louisiana on May. 02, 2013 12:15

clapter
(noun) : the sound of clapping : applause
Submitted by: Clint Daniel from Tennessee on May. 02, 2013 00:24

frozens (noun) : frozen foods or drinks

Submitted by: on May. 01, 2013 19:37

yeperdoodles
(adverb) : yes or yeah
Submitted by: Anonymous on May. 01, 2013 19:11

catawompus (noun) : an imaginary fierce wild animal : catawampus

Submitted by: Intotheble from Iowa on May. 01, 2013 14:11

unmature (adjective) : immature

Submitted by: Drake Roberts from Ohio on May. 01, 2013 13:50

1. accessary,
accessory
2. ad, add
3. ail, ale
4. air, heir
5. aisle, I'll, isle
6. all, awl
7. allowed, aloud
8. alms, arms
9. altar, alter
10. arc, ark
11. aren't, aunt
12. ate, eight
13. auger, augur
14. auk, orc
15. aural, oral
16. away, aweigh
17. awe, oar, or, ore
18. axel, axle
19. aye, eye, I
20. bail, bale
21. bait, bate
22. baize, bays
23. bald, bawled
24. ball, bawl
25. band, banned
26. bard, barred
27. bare, bear
28. bark, barque
29. baron, barren
30. base, bass
31. bay, bey
32. bazaar, bizarre
33. be, bee

111.
dew,
due
112.
die, dye
113.
discreet
, discrete
114.
doe,
doh, dough
115.
done,
dun
116.
douse,
dowse
117.
draft,
draught
118.
dual,
duel
119.
earn,
urn
120.
eery,
eyrie
121.
ewe,
yew, you
122.
faint,
feint
123.
fah, far
124.
fair,
fare
125.
farther,
father
126.
fate,
fte
127.
faun,
fawn
128.
fay, fey
129.
faze,
phase
130.
feat,

221.
leach,
leech
222.
lead, led
223.
leak,
leek
224.
lean,
lien
225.
lessen,
lesson
226.
levee,
levy
227.
liar, lyre
228.
licence,
license
229.
licker,
liquor
230.
lie, lye
231.
lieu, loo
232.
links,
lynx
233.
lo, low
234.
load,
lode
235.
loan,
lone
236.
locks,
lox
237.
loop,
loupe
238.
loot,
lute
239.
made,
maid
240.
mail,
male
241.
main,

331.
rouse,
rows
332.
rung,
wrung
333.
rye, wry
334.
saver,
savour
335.
spade,
spayed
336.
sale, sail
337.
sane,
seine
338.
satire,
satyr
339.
sauce,
source
340.
saw,
soar, sore
341.
scene,
seen
342.
scull,
skull
343.
sea, see
344.
seam,
seem
345.
sear,
seer, sere
346.
seas,
sees, seize
347.
sew, so,
sow
348.
shake,
sheikh
349.
shear,
sheer
350.
shoe,

34. beach, beech

35. bean, been
36. beat, beet
37. beau, bow
38. beer, bier
39. bel, bell, belle
40. berry, bury
41. berth, birth
42. bight, bite, byte
43. billed, build
44. bitten, bittern
45. blew, blue
46. bloc, block
47. boar, bore
48. board, bored
49. boarder, border
50. bold, bowled
51. boos, booze
52. born, borne
53. bough, bow
54. boy, buoy
55. brae, bray
56. braid, brayed
57. braise, brays,
braze
58. brake, break
59. bread, bred
60. brews, bruise
61. bridal, bridle
62. broach, brooch
63. bur, burr
64. but, butt
65. buy, by, bye
66. buyer, byre
67. calendar, calender
68. call, caul
69. canvas, canvass
70. cast, caste
71. caster, castor
72. caught, court
73. caw, core, corps
74. cede, seed

feet
131.
ferrule,
ferule
132.
few,
phew
133.
fie, phi
134.
file,
phial
135.
find,
fined
136.
fir, fur
137.
fizz,
phiz
138.
flair,
flare
139.
flaw,
floor
140.
flea,
flee
141.
flex,
flecks
142.
flew,
flu, flue
143.
floe,
flow
144.
flour,
flower
145.
foaled,
fold
146.
for,
fore, four
147.
forewor
d, forward
148.
fort,
fought
149.
forth,
fourth
150.
foul,
fowl
151.
franc,
frank
152.
freeze,
frieze
153.
friar,

mane
242.
maize,
maze
243.
mall,
maul
244.
manna,
manner
245.
mantel,
mantle
246.
mare,
mayor
247.
mark,
marque
248.
marshal,
martial
249.
marten,
martin
250.
mask,
masque
251.
maw,
more
252.
me, mi
253.
mean,
mien
254.
meat,
meet, mete
255.
medal,
meddle
256.
metal,
mettle
257.
meter,
metre
258.
might,
mite
259.
miner,
minor, mynah
260.
mind,
mined
261.
missed,
mist
262.
moat,
mote
263.
mode,
mowed

shoo
351.
sic, sick
352.
side,
sighed
353.
sign, sine
354.
sink,
synch
355.
slay,
sleigh
356.
sloe,
slow
357.
sole, soul
358.
some,
sum
359.
son, sun
360.
sort,
sought
361.
spa, spar
362.
staid,
stayed
363.
stair,
stare
364.
stake,
steak
365.
stalk,
stork
366.
stationar
y, stationery
367.
steal,
steel
368.
stile,
style
369.
storey,
story
370.
straight,
strait
371.
sweet,
suite
372.
swat,
swot
373.
tacks, tax
374.
tale, tail
375.
talk,
torque

75. ceiling, sealing

76. cell, sell
77. censer, censor,
sensor
78. cent, scent, sent
79. cereal, serial
80. cheap, cheep
81. check, cheque
82. choir, quire
83. chord, cord
84. cite, sight, site
85. clack, claque
86. clew, clue
87. climb, clime
88. close, cloze
89. coal, kohl
90. coarse, course
91. coign, coin
92. colonel, kernel
93. complacent,
complaisant
94. complement,
compliment
95. coo, coup
96. cops, copse
97. council, counsel
98. cousin, cozen
99. creak, creek
100.
crews,
cruise
101.
cue, kyu,
queue
102.
curb, kerb
103.
currant,
current
104.
cymbol,
symbol
105.
dam, damn
106.
days, daze
107.
dear, deer
108.
descent,
dissent
109.
desert,

fryer
154.
furs,
furze
155.
gait,
gate
156.
galipot,
gallipot
157.
gallop,
galop
158.
gamble,
gambol
159.
gays,
gaze
160.
genes,
jeans
161.
gild,
guild
162.
gilt,
guilt
163.
giro,
gyro
164.
gnaw,
nor
165.
gneiss,
nice
166.
gorilla,
guerilla
167.
grate,
great
168.
greave,
grieve
169.
greys,
graze
170.
grisly,
grizzly
171.
groan,
grown
172.
guessed
, guest
173.
hail,
hale
174.
hair,
hare
175.
hall,

264.
moor,
more
265.
moose,
mousse
266.
morning
, mourning
267.
muscle,
mussel
268.
naval,
navel
269.
nay,
neigh
270.
nigh,
nye
271.
none,
nun
272.
od, odd
273.
ode,
owed
274.
oh, owe
275.
one,
won
276.
packed,
pact
277.
packs,
pax
278.
pail,
pale
279.
pain,
pane
280.
pair,
pare, pear
281.
palate,
palette, pallet
282.
pascal,
paschal
283.
paten,
patten, pattern
284.
pause,
paws, pores,
pours
285.
pawn,
porn
286.
pea, pee

376.
tare, tear
377.
taught,
taut, tort
378.
te, tea,
tee
379.
team,
teem
380.
tear, tier
381.
teas,
tease
382.
terce,
terse
383.
tern, turn
384.
there,
their, they're
385.
threw,
through
386.
throes,
throws
387.
throne,
thrown
388.
thyme,
time
389.
tic, tick
390.
tide, tied
391.
tire, tyre
392.
to, too,
two
393.
toad,
toed, towed
394.
told,
tolled
395.
tole, toll
396.
ton, tun
397.
tor, tore
398.
tough,
tuff
399.
troop,
troupe
400.
tuba,
tuber
401.
vain,
vane, vein
402.
vale, veil

dessert
110.
deviser,
divisor

haul
176.
hangar,
hanger
177.
hart,
heart
178.
haw,
hoar, whore
179.
hay,
hey
180.
heal,
heel, he'll
181.
hear,
here
182.
heard,
herd
183.
he'd,
heed
184.
heroin,
heroine
185.
hew,
hue
186.
hi, high
187.
higher,
hire
188.
him,
hymn
189.
ho, hoe
190.
hoard,
horde
191.
hoarse,
horse
192.
holey,
holy, wholly
193.
hour,
our
194.
idle,
idol
195.
in, inn
196.
indict,
indite
197.
it's, its
198.
jewel,
joule
199.
key,

287.
peace,
piece
288.
peak,
peek, peke,
pique
289.
peal,
peel
290.
pearl,
purl
291.
pedal,
peddle
292.
peer,
pier
293.
pi, pie
294.
pica,
pika
295.
place,
plaice
296.
plain,
plane
297.
pleas,
please
298.
plum,
plumb
299.
pole,
poll
300.
poof,
pouffe
301.
practice,
practise
302.
praise,
prays, preys
303.
principa
l, principle
304.
profit,
prophet
305.
quarts,
quartz
306.
quean,
queen
307.
rain,
reign, rein
308.
raise,
rays, raze

403.
vial, vile
404.
wail,
wale, whale
405.
wain,
wane
406.
waist,
waste
407.
wait,
weight
408.
waive,
wave
409.
wall,
waul
410.
war,
wore
411.
ware,
wear, where
412.
warn,
worn
413.
wart,
wort
414.
watt,
what
415.
wax,
whacks
416.
way,
weigh, whey
417.
we, wee,
whee
418.
weak,
week
419.
we'd,
weed
420.
weal,
we'll, wheel
421.
wean,
ween
422.
weather,
whether
423.
weaver,
weever
424.
weir,
we're
425.
were,

quay
200.
nave
201.
need
202.
new
203.
night
204.
205.
nob
206.
nock
207.
not
208.
no
209.
nose
210.
lager
211.
lack
212.
laid
213.
lane
214.
lamb
215.
lapse
216.
lava
217.
laze
218.
lore
219.
220.

knave,
knead,
knew,
knight,
knit, nit
knob,
knock,
knot,
know,
knows,
laager,
lac,
lade,
lain,
lam,
laps,
larva,
lase,
law,
lay, ley
lea, lee

309.
rap,
wrap
310.
raw,
roar
311.
read,
reed
312.
read, red
313.
real, reel
314.
reek,
wreak
315.
rest,
wrest
316.
retch,
wretch
317.
review,
revue
318.
rheum,
room
319.
right,
rite, wright,
write
320.
ring,
wring
321.
road,
rode
322.
roe, row
323.
role, roll
324.
roo,
roux, rue
325.
rood,
rude
326.
root,
route
327.
rose,
rows
328.
rota,
rotor
329.
rote,
wrote
330.
rough,
ruff

whirr
426.
wet,
whet
427.
wheald,
wheeled
428.
which,
witch
429.
whig,
wig
430.
while,
wile
431.
whine,
wine
432.
whirl,
whorl
433.
whirled,
world
434.
whit, wit
435.
white,
wight
436.
who's,
whose
437.
woe,
whoa
438.
wood,
would
439.
yaw,
yore, your,
you're
440.
yoke,
yolk
441.
you'll,
yule

28 Rules For English Spelling

1.The letter q is always written with u and we say, "kw." The letter u is not a vowel
here. (quiet)
2./c/ before e, i, or y says, "s" (cent, city, cycle).
3./g/ before e, i, or y may say, "j" (gentle, get).
4.Vowels a, e, o, u usually say, " ", " ", " ", " " at the end of a syllable (belong,
protect, futile)
5.Vowels i and y may say " " at the end of a syllable, but usually say " " (final
and my as opposed to Indian and baby) [for spelling]
6.Vowel y, not i, is used at the end of an English word (for example, my).
7.There are five kinds of silent final e's. The first rule (as in time) is one of the
three ways a vowel says its name.
8.o-r may say, "er" when w comes before the o-r (for example, works).
9.We use e-i after c... if we say, " "... and in some exceptions.
Exceptions:
receive, vein, neither, foreign, sovereign, seize, counterfeit, forfeit, leisure, either,
weird, heifer, protein, geiger, height, sleight, feisty, stein, seismograph,
poltergeist, kaleidoscope
10.s-h is used at the beginning of a word, at the end of a syllable but not at the
beginning of any syllable after the first one, except for the ending, "ship." (shut,
fish, nation)
11.t-i, s-i and c-i are used to say "sh" at the beginning of any syllable after the first
one. c-h says, "sh" in a word of French origin. (nation, session, special, chic)
12.s-i is used to say, "sh" when the syllable before it ends in s (session) and when
the base word has an s where the word changes. (tense/tension)
13.Only s-i can say, "zh" except for t-i in "equation." (vision)
14.When a one-syllable word ends with one short vowel and one consonant,
double the final consonant before adding a vowel suffix. (hop, hopping/hopped)
15.When a two-syllable word ends with a vowel and a consonant, double the final
consonant when adding a vowel suffix, if the accent is on the last syllable. (admit,
admitted, admitting)
16.Silent final e words are written without the e when adding an ending beginning
with a vowel. (have, having)
17.We often double l, f, s, after a single vowel, at the end of a one-syllable word.
(full, puff, pass)
18.Base words do not end with the letter a saying, " " except for the article a; a-y
is used most often. (may, pay, say)

19.Vowels i and o may say, " " and " " when followed by two consonants. (find,
bold - gift, bond)
20.s never follows x. (box, boxes)
21.All is written with one l when added to another syllable.(almost, also)
22.Till and full added to another syllable are written with one l. (until, fulfill)
23.3-letter "j" (dge) may be used after a single vowel which says, " " - " " - " " " " - " " (badge,edge,ridge,lodge,fudge)
24.When adding an ending to a word that ends with y, that has a sound alone,
change the y to i unless the ending is i-n-g. (fry,fried - cry,crying)
25.2-letter "k" (ck) may be used only after a single vowel which says, " " - " " - "
" - " " - " " (pack,peck,pick,pock,puck)
26.The letter z, never s is used to say, "z" at the beginning of a base word. (zero,
zipper)
27.The letters e-d say, "d" and "t" as the past tense ending of any base word which
does not end in the sound, "d" or "t." When e-d says "ed" after words ending with
"d" or "t," they form another syllable. (loved, wrapped) (word,word edpart,parted)
28.Double consonants within words of more than one syllable should both be
sounded for spelling. (lit tle, but ton)

ENGLISH SPELLING RULES

Short and Long Vowels
1. To spell a short vowel sound, only one letter is needed:
at

red

it

hot

up

2. To spell a long sound you must add a second vowel. The second may be next to the first, in the VVC
pattern (boat, maid, cue, etc.) or it may be separated from the first one by a consonant in the VCV pattern
(made, ride, tide, etc.). If the second vowel is separated from the first by two spaces, it does not affect the
first one. This is the VCCV pattern in which the first vowel remains short. Thus, doubling a consonant can
be called "protecting" a short vowel because it prevents an incoming vowel from getting close enough to
the first one to change its sound from short to long:
maid, made, but madder;

dine, diner, but dinner.

Spelling the Sound /k/

This sound can be spelled in any one of four ways:

1. c

2. cc

3. k

4. ck

1. The single letter, c , is the most common spelling. It may be used anywhere in a word:

cat
scat

corn
actor
bacon public

victim direct
cactus inflict

mica
pecan

2. Sometimes the letter c must be doubled to cc to protect the sound of a short vowel:
stucco
Mecca
occupy

baccalaureate
tobacco
raccoon

hiccups
buccaneer
succulent

3. The letter k is substituted for c if /k/ is followed by an e, i, or y.

kin
skin

make
token

sketch
skill

poker
keep

kind
liking

risky
flaky

(Boring examples? How about kyphosis, kylix, keratosis, and dyskinesia?)

4. Similarly, the spelling ck, is substituted for cc if the following letter is an e, i, or y:
lucky
blackest
Kentucky

picking
mackintosh
picnicking

rocking
frolicked
stocking

finicky
ducking
Quebecker

5. The letters, k and ck are more than substitutes for c and cc. They are used to spell /k/ at the end of a
monosyllable. The digraph, ck, ALWAYS follows a short vowel:
sack

duck

lick

stick

wreck

clock

(Forget about yak. Your student will never need it.)

The letter, k, follows any other sound:
milk
tank

soak
peek

make
bike

bark
cork

tusk

hawk

duke

perk

The Sound, /j/

The sound, /j/ is spelled in three ways: j ge and dge.
1. The letter j is usually used if the sound if followed by an a, o, or u.
just
jog

jam
jar

jungle injure
Japan jury

major adjacent
job
Benjamin

adjust jacket jolly

jaguar jump

jalousie

2. Since the letter g has the soft sound of /j/ when it is followed by an e, i, or y, it is usually used in this
situation:
gentle
Egyptologist

ginger
gem

aging
origin

algebra
gym

2. If /j/ follows a short vowel sound, it is usually spelled with dge. This is because the letter j, is never
doubled in English.
badge

ridge

dodge

partridge

gadget

judge

edge

smudge

judgement

budget

The Sound, /ch/

The sound /ch/ has two spellings: tch after a short vowel, ch anywhere else:
witch

sketch

botch

satchel

catch

hatchet

kitchen

escutcheon

Exceptions:
Which, rich, much, such, touch, bachelor, attach, sandwich, and ostrich.
The Sound, /kw/
This sound is ALWAYS spelled with the letters, qu, never anything else.
Using -le
Words ending in -le, such as little, require care. If the vowel sound is short, there must be two consonants
between the vowel and the -le. Otherwise, one consonant is enough.

bugle

li tt le

ha nd le

ti ck le

a mp le

bo tt le

pu zz le

cru mb le

a ng le

able

poodle

dawdle

needle

idle

people

Odds and Ends

1. The consonants, v, j, k, w, and x are never doubled.
2. No normal English words ends with the letter v. A final /v/ is always spelled with ve, no matter what the
preceding vowel sound may be:
have

give

sleeve

cove

receive

love

connive

brave

Adding Endings
There are two kinds of suffixes, those that begin with a vowel and those that begin with a consonant. As
usual, the spelling problems occur with the vowels:

- - - age
- - - ant
- - -ance
- - - al
- - -ism
- - -able
- - -an
---a
- - -es
- - -ed
- - -er
- - -est
- - -y

Vowel Suffixes
- - -ist
- - - ish
- - -ing
- - -ar
- - -o
- - -on
- - -ous
- - -or
- - -ual
- - -unt
- - -um
- - -us
- - -ive

Consonant Suffixes
- - - ness
- - - cess
- - -less
- - -ment
- - -ly
- - -ty
- - -ful
- - -ry
- - -hood
- - -ward
- - -wise

1. Words that end in the letter y must have the y changed to i before adding any suffix:
body - bodily
many - manifold
happy - happiness
beauty - beautiful
company - companion
plenty - plentiful

marry - marriage
family - familiar
puppy - puppies
vary - various
fury - furious
merry - merriment

2. In words that end in a silent e you must drop it before you add a vowel suffix. The silent e is no longer
needed to make the preceding vowel long as the incoming vowel will do the trick:
ride - riding
fame - famous
pure - purity
globe - global

cure - curable
force - forcing
ice - icicle
race - racist

use - usual
refuse - refusal
nose - nosy
pole - polar

age - aging
slice - slicing
convince - convincing
offense - offensive

3. Words that end in an accented short or modified vowel sound must have the final consonant doubled
to protect that sound when you add a vowel suffix:

Quebec - Quebecker remit - remittance

confer - conferring refer - referred
upset - upsetting
shellac - shellacking occur - occurred
concur- concurrent

Note that this doubling is not done if the accent is not on the last syllable. If the word ends in a schwa,
there is no need to "protect" it.
open - opening
focus - focused

organ - organize
refer - referee

4. Normally you drop a silent e before adding a vowel suffix. However, if the word ends in -ceor -ge and
the incoming vowel is an a, o, or u, you cannot cavalierly toss out that silent e. It is not useless: it is
keeping its left-hand letter soft, and your a, o, or u will not do that. Thus:
manage - manageable
courage - courageous
surge - surgeon
notice - noticeable

peace - peaceable
revenge - vengeance
change - changeable
outrage - outrageous

Gorgeous George bludgeoned a pigeon noticeably! Tsk.

5. Adding consonant suffixes is easy. You just add them. (Of course you must change a final y to i before
you add any suffix.)
peace - peaceful
pity - pitiful

harm - harmless
child - childhood

age - ageless
rifle - riflery

/sh/
When this sound occurs before a vowel suffix, it is spelled ti, si, or ci.
partial
special
inertia
musician
electrician

cautious
deficient
delicious
physician
nutrition

patient
suspicion
ratio
optician
statistician

vacation
suction
pension
quotient
expulsion

/ee/ before a vowel suffix

When /ee/ precedes a vowel suffix, it is usually spelled with the letter i:
Indian
ingredient

obvious
zodiac

medium
material

Spelling Determined by Word Meaning

1. Mist and missed sound alike, as do band and banned. To determine the spelling, remember that -ed is
a past-tense tending.
a. The mist drifted into the harbor.
b. I nearly missed my bus.
c.

The movie was banned in Boston.

d. The band played on.

2. The endings of dentist and finest sound alike. Deciding which one to use can be tricky. One rule helps
but doesn't cover all cases:
a. --ist is a suffix meaning someone who does something:
artist - machinist - druggist
b. --est is the ending used on superlative adjectives:
finest - sweetest - longest
3. The sounds at the end of musician and condition sound alike. but....
a. cian always means a person, where...
b. tion or sion are never used for people.

4. How do you tell whether to use tion or sion?

a. If the root word ends in /t/, use -tion: complete, completion
b. If the root word ends in /s/ or /d/, use sion: extend, extension
suppress, suppression
c.

If the sound of the last syllable is the "heavy" sound of /zhun/ rather than the light sound, /shun/,
use s: confusion, vision, adhesion

Exception: The ending, --mit becomes -mission:

permit - permission

omit - omission

submit - submission

commit - commission

The Hiss
1. The letter s between vowels sounds like a z:
nose
present
preside

result
partisan
resound

noise
tease
reserve

2. The light "hissy" sound is spelled with either ss or ce. Predictably, ss, like any proper doubled
consonant, follows accented short vowels. Soft c is used anywhere else. (A soft c is one that is followed
by e, i, or y).
notice
recent
essence

reticent
gossip
vessel

massive
russet
discuss

bicycle
rejoice
pass

3. The plural ending is always spelled with a single letter s unless you can hear a new syllable on the
plural word. In that case, use -es:
loss, losses
box, boxes

bank, banks
list, lists

twitch, twitches
judge, judges

tree, trees

No compendium of spelling rules would be complete with the most important rule of all:
WHEN IN DOUBT, ASK (or look it up)
But ask first - it's quicker.

14 Typical mistakes with prepositions

18-Apr-2012

English prepositions can cause quite a bit of confusion. Students can easily get lost in the maze of rules and
exeptions in regards to English prepositions. The infographic below can help them to organize the prepositions
and control the confusions they cause. Maybe you could encourage students to come up with a similar poster
on other grammar or language points they struggle with.

Tier I

Tier II

2010 2011 2012 2010 2011 2012

Antonym

Synonym/Substitutio
10
n

10

10

10

15

Idioms

10

Spelling

Fill In Blanks

15

30

20

10

Vocab Subtotal

20

35

30

55

45

41

Grammar
Tier I

Tier II

2010 2011 2012 2010 2011 2012

Sentence Correction

20

20

20

Sentence Improvement 5

20

20

22

Direct-Indirect

25

25

27

Active-Passive

20

20

20

Grammar Subtotal

20

15

10

85

85

89

Sentence Arrangement + Comprehension

Tier I

Tier II

2010 2011 2012 2010 2011 2012

Sentence Arrangement 5

10

20

20

Comprehension

10

50

50

50

Subtotal

10

10

60

70

70