Improve your Spelling by Following the Rules

Tutor Scooter can teach you the rules of spelling.

Spelling has always been a challenge for me. I was an avid reader, so I knew more reading wouldn’t cure my problem. My mother, who spoke English as her second language, was an excellent speller. It turned out that she had learned the rules for spelling in her English language class.

Nearly 90% of English words can be spelled if you know the basic patterns, principles and rules of spelling. Fifty percent of words can be spelled correctly by sounding them out, and 37% of common words are almost predictable except for one sound (ex. knit, boat).

Spelling is a thinking subject. The best way to improve is to learn generalizations about common and regular spelling patterns. Once those are mastered, the exceptions and oddballs can be taught. 

Here are three great spelling rules to improve your spelling right away. Warning, like so much of English, there are rule breakers. Learn the rule first, then worry about exceptions.

Rule 1: Doubling Rule

How do you know if you need to double the last letter when adding a suffix ending such as -es, -ing, -ed, -er, -est, -en, -ish, -y? Ask yourself:

• Does the word have only one vowel?

• Is there a consonant after the vowel?

• Does the suffix start with a vowel?

If you answer “yes” to all three questions, then you double the last consonant. Look!

• run + ing = running

• sad + er = sadder

• drop + ed = dropped

Exceptions to the rule—in English, the following letters are never doubled in common words h, j k, w, x, y.

Rule 2: Sneaky -e Rule "Drop it or Keep it”

If the word ends in a silent e, how do you know if you should keep it or drop it when adding a suffix?

Drop it!

• Drop the silent e if the suffix begins with a vowel (-ed, -ing, -er) 

• Bike + er = biker, like + ed = liked, secure + ity = security

Keep it!

• Keep the silent e if the suffix begins with a consonant (-ness,-full, -s, -ly, -ment) 

• Bike + s = bikes, like + ness = likeness, secure + ly = securely

Rule 3: Final Y Rule "Never drop a y or it will break its tail and cry! Keep or Change y”

Keep the y if the word has  a vowel before the y

• Joy + ful = joyful, play + ed = played, boy + s = boys

Change the y to i if there is a consonant before the y 

• Rely + ed = relied, puppy + s = puppies, happy + est = happiest

Exception—if the suffix begins with an i, like -ing, then you keep the y

• Cry + ing = crying, dry + ing = drying, carry + ing = carrying

Book tutoring sessions with Tutor Scooter to learn more spelling rules and generalizations.