English Spelling Rules and Generalizations

Part 2

Knowing English spelling rules and generalizations makes learning English more logical and easier to master.

The Letter e

The letter e is the most used letter in English. The silent e at the end of a word usually makes the preceding vowel say its name (long vowel sound). For example: game, these, fine, hope, cute.

The letter e after c or g makes the letter c sound like an s and g sound like a j. For example: nice, gem.

The letter e is found at the end of a word after a single s, v, or z. For example: mouse, cheese, gave, love, maze.

Middle Spellings

The first choice for the long e sound in the middle of a word is ee. For example: meet, feed.

Use the spelling ai to spell the long /a/ sound in the middle of words, usually before an n or an l. For example: rain, trail, mail, main.

The spelling oa is usually found in the middle of one-syllable words. For example: soap, load, toast.

The spelling oi is usually found in the middle of a word.

The sound /oo/ as in moon has several spellings (ue, ou, ew). The first choice for this sound in the middle of a word is oo. For example: soon, smooth tooth.

Ending Spellings

The spellings ay and oy are found at the end of words but may be followed by suffixes.

The spelling aw is usually found at the end of a word or sometimes followed by n or l. For example: saw, claw, lawn, crawl.

The first spelling choice for the sound of /oo/ as in moon at the end of a word is ew. For example: new, blew, flew.

The first choice for the spelling of long /o/ at the end of a word is ow. For example: show, grow, blow.

 

The above spelling rules and generalizations are introduced and practiced in our series English Reading and Spelling for the Spanish Speaker.

 

                                                

 

              

 

Visit our website at www.Fisher-Hill.com to learn more about this series for Spanish Speaking teens and adults.