Logic of English Spelling Rules

Question 1

Rule 1: C always softens to ___ when followed by ___, I___, or ___. Otherwise, C says ___.

C says ___ before a consonant and at the end of a word

Answer 1

Rule 1: C always softens to /s/ when followed by E, I, or Y. Otherwise, C says /k/.

center, circus, icy

cat, cot, cut

clap, enacting

arc, acoustic

Question 2

Rule 2: G may soften to ___ only when followed by ___, ___, or ___. Otherwise, G says ___.

G MAY say ___, but not always.

G says ___ before a consonant and at the end of a word

Answer 2

Rule 2: G may soften to /j/ only when followed by E, I, or Y. Otherwise, G says /g/.

germ, ginger, biology

gap, goat, begun

glad, granular, magnet

egg, crag, leg

Question 3

Rule 3: English words do not end in ___, ___, ___, or___.

Answer 3

Rule 3: English words do not end in I, U, V, or J.

Question 4

Rule 4: ___, ___, ___,___ usually say their long sounds at the end of the syllable.

Answer 4

Rule 4: A E O U usually say their long sounds at the end of the syllable.

famous, unit

Question 5

Rule 5: I and Y may say ___ or ___ at the end of a syllable.

Answer 5

Rule 5: I and Y may say /ĭ/ or /ī/ at the end of a syllable.

clinic physical
lion cry

Question 6

Rule 6: When a one-syllable word ends in a single-vowel Y, it always says ___.

Answer 6

Rule 6: When a one-syllable word ends in a single-vowel Y, it always says /ī/.

by, try

Question 7

7.1: Y says ___only in an unstressed syllable at the end of a multi-syllable word.

Answer 7

7.1: Y says /ē/ only in an unstressed syllable at the end of a multi-syllable word.

baby, berry

Question 8

7.2: I may say ___ with a silent final E, at the end of a syllable, and at the end of foreign words.

Answer 8

7.2: I may say /ē/ with a silent final E, at the end of a syllable, and at the end of foreign words.

spaghetti

Question 9

Rule 8: I and O MAY say___ and___ when followed by two consonants.

Answer 9

Rule 8: I and O may say /ī/ and /ō/ when followed by two consonants.

bold bond pint print
poll pond rind rink

Question 10

Rule 9: AY usually spells the sound ___ at the end of a base word.

Answer 10

Rule 9: AY usually spells the sound /ā/ at the end of a base word.

may portray

Question 11

Rule 10: When a word ends with the phonogram A, it says ___. A may also say ___ after a ___ or before an___.

Answer 11

Rule 10: When a word ends with the phonogram A, it says /ä/. A may also say /ä/ after a W or before an L.

zebra
vendetta

Question 12

Rule 11: Q always needs a U; therefore, U is ___ a vowel here.

Answer 12

Rule 11: Q always needs a U; therefore, U is not a vowel here.

queen

Question 13

Rule 12: Silent Final E Rules:

12.1: The vowel says its ___ sound because of the E.
12.2: English words do not end in ___ or ___.
12.3: The C says ___ and the G says ___because of the E.
12.4: Every syllable must have a written ___.
12.5: Add an E to keep ___ words that end in the letter S from looking plural.
12.6: Add an E to make the word look ___.
12.7: TH says its voiced sound ___ because of the E.
12.8: Add an E to clarify meaning.
12.9: Unseen reason.

Answer 13

Rule 12: Silent Final E Rules:

12.1: The vowel says its long sound because of the E.

12.2: English words do not end in V or U.
12.3: The C says /s/ and the G says /j/ because of the E.
12.4: Every syllable must have a written vowel.
12.5: Add an E to keep singular words that end in the letter S from looking plural.
12.6: Add an E to make the word look bigger.
12.7: TH says its voiced sound /TH/ because of the E.
12.8: Add an E to clarify meaning.
12.9: Unseen reason.

Question 14

Rule 13: Drop the silent ___ when adding a vowel suffix only if it is allowed by other spelling rules.

Answer 14

Rule 13: Drop the silent final E when adding a vowel suffix only if it is allowed by other spelling rules.

Question 15

Rule 14: ___ the last consonant when adding a vowel suffix to words ending in one vowel followed by one consonant only if the syllable ___ the suffix is stressed.*

Answer 15

Rule 14: Double the last consonant when adding a vowel suffix to words ending in one vowel followed by one consonant only if the syllable before the suffix is stressed.*

Question 16

Rule 15: Single-vowel ___changes to I when adding any ending, unless the ending ___ with ___.

Answer 16

Rule 15: Single-vowel Y changes to I when adding any ending, unless the ending begins with I.

Question 17

Rule 16: Two I’s ___ be next to one another in English words.

Answer 17

Rule 16: Two I’s cannot be next to one another in English words.

Question 18

Rule 17: TI, CI, and SI are used only at the___ of any syllable after the first one.

Answer 18

Rule 17: TI, CI, and SI are used only at the beginning of any syllable after the first one.

Question 19

Rule 18: SH spells /sh/ at the ___ of a base word and at the end of the syllable. SH ___spells /sh/ at the beginning of any syllable after the first one, except for the ending -ship.

Answer 19

Rule 18: SH spells /sh/ at the beginning of a base word and at the end of the syllable. SH never spells /sh/ at the beginning of any syllable after the first one, except for the ending -ship.

Question 20

Rule 19 To make a verb ___ tense, add the ending -ED unless it is an irregular verb.

Answer 20

Rule 19 To make a verb past tense, add the ending -ED unless it is an irregular verb.

Question 21

Rule 20: -ED, past tense ending, forms another syllable when the base word ends in /d/ or /t/. Otherwise, -ED says /d/ or /t/.

Answer 21

Rule 20: -ED, past tense ending, forms another syllable when the base word ends in /d/ or /t/. Otherwise, -ED says /d/ or /t/.

Question 22

Rule 21: To make a noun ___, add the ending -S, unless the word ___ or ___; then add -ES. Some nouns have no change or an irregular spelling.

Answer 22

Rule 21: To make a noun plural, add the ending -S, unless the word hisses or changes; then add -ES. Some nouns have no change or an irregular spelling.

Question 23

Rule 22: To make a verb 3rd person ___, add the ending -S, unless the word ___ or ___; then add -ES. Only four verbs are irregular. (has, does, goes, is)

Answer 23

Rule 22: To make a verb 3rd person singular, add the ending -S, unless the word hisses or changes; then add -ES. Only four verbs are irregular. (has, does, goes, is)

Question 24

Rule 23: AL- is a prefix written with one ___ when ___ another syllable.

Answer 24

Rule 23: AL- is a prefix written with one L when preceding another syllable.

Question 25

Rule 24: -FUL is a ___ written with ___ L when added to another syllable.

Answer 25

Rule 24: -FUL is a suffix written with one L when added to another syllable.

Question 26

Rule 25: DGE is used only ___ a single vowel which says its ___ (first) sound.

Answer 26

Rule 25: DGE is used only after a single vowel which says its short (first) sound.

Question 27

Rule 26: CK is used only after a ___ vowel which says its ___ (first) sound.

Answer 27

Rule 26: CK is used only after a single vowel which says its short (first) sound.

Question 28

Rule 27: TCH is used only after a ___ vowel which says its ___t or ___ sound.

Answer 28

Rule 27: TCH is used only after a single vowel which says its short or broad sound.

Question 29

Rule 28: AUGH, EIGH, IGH, OUGH. Phonograms ending in GH are used only at the ___ of a base word or before the letter ___. The GH is either ___ or pronounced /f/.

Answer 29

Rule 28: AUGH, EIGH, IGH, OUGH. Phonograms ending in GH are used only at the end of a base word or before the letter T. The GH is either silent or pronounced /f/.

Question 30

Rule 29: Z, ___ S, spells /z/ at the___ of a base word.

Answer 30

Rule 29: Z, never S, spells /z/ at the beginning of a base word.

Question 31

Rule 30: We often double F, L, and S after a ___, ___ or ___ vowel at the end of a base word. Occasionally other letters also are doubled.

Answer 31

Rule 30: We often double F, L, and S after a single, short or broad vowel at the end of a base word. Occasionally other letters also are doubled.

Question 32

Rule 31: Schwa Rules

31.1: Any vowel may say one of the schwa sounds, /ŭ/ or /ĭ/, in an ___ syllable or ___ word.
31.2: O may say /ŭ/ in a stressed syllable next to ___, TH, ___, N, or ___.
31.3: AR and OR may say their schwa sound, /er/, in an ___ syllable.

Answer 32

Rule 31: Schwa Rules

31.1: Any vowel may say one of the schwa sounds, /ŭ/ or /ĭ/, in an unstressed syllable or unstressed word.
31.2: O may say /ŭ/ in a stressed syllable next to W, TH, M, N, or V.
31.3: AR and OR may say their schwa sound, /er/, in an unstressed syllable.

Question 33

Vowel VS Consonants

Answer 33

a vowel is any sound with no audible noise produced by constriction in the vocal tract, and consonant is a sound with audible noise produced by a constriction.

Question 34

syllable

Answer 34

A syllable is a unit of organization for a sequence of speech sounds, typically made up of a syllable nucleus (most often a vowel) with optional initial and final margins (typically, consonants). Syllables are often considered the phonological “building blocks” of words.