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Spalding Rules

Terms in this set (34)

Rule 1
The letter "q" is always followed by a "u" and together they say /kw/ (queen). Note: The "u" is not a standalone vowel here--it has to go with "q."
Rule 2
The letter "c" before e, i, or y---says /s/, as in cent, city, and cycle. The letter "c" followed by any other letter---says /k/, as in cat, cot, cut.
Rule 3
The letter "g" before e, i, or y---may say /j/ as in page, giant, gym. The letter "g" followed by any other letter---says /g/ as in gate, go, gust.

Note: There are exceptions; the letter "e" and "i" following "g" do not always make the "g" say /j/: get, girl, give.
Rule 4
Vowels a, e, o, and u usually say their names at the end of a syllable (na vy, mu sic)

Underline the vowel that says its name.
Rule 5
The letters i and y usually say short i (big, gym), but may say long i (si lent, my, type).

Underline "i" or "y" if the rule applies.
Rule 6
The letter y, not i, is used at the end of an English word (fly, party, ev er y)
Rule 7
There are 5 kinds of silent e's
Job 1
Part of Rule 7. Vowel, consonant, SFE pattern--the SFE lets the vowel say its second sound (stone, late, game, white).
Job 2
Part of Rule 7. The SFE is added to the end of a word because English words do not end in "v" or "u" (have, true, twelve, val ue).
Job 3
Part of Rule 7. The SFE lets "c" and "g" say their second sounds (dance, merge, large chance).
Job 4
Part of Rule 7. The SFE is added to a syllable that has a consonant and the letter "l," and SFE is the only vowel in the syllable. Every syllable must have a vowel. (sim ple, ea gle).
Job 5
Part of Rule 7. The SFE has no job. It is often called the no-job e (house, noise, are).
Rule 8
The phonogram "or" may say "er" when it follows "w" (works). Underline the blended sound "wor."
Rule 9
For 1-syllable words that have 1 vowel and end in 1 consonant, write another final consonant before adding suffixes that begin with a vowel (hot test, get ting, set ting)
Rule 10
Words of 2 syllables, in which the second syllable is accented (stressed) and ends in one consonant, with one vowel before it, need another final consonant before adding a suffix that begins with a vowel (o mit ted, be gin ning).
Rule 11
Words ending with a silent final "e" are written without the e when adding a suffix that begins with a vowel (struc tur al, whis tling).
Rule 12
After c we use ei, if we say /a/ (ape), we use ei, in the list of exceptions, we use ei. In all other words, ie is used (re ceipt, their, nei ther, siege)
Rule 13
Sh is used at the beginning or end of a base word, at the end of a syllable, but never at the beginning of a syllable after the first one except for the suffix ship (shed, push, fin ish, shelf)
Rule 14
Ti, si, and ci are the spelling most frequently used to say /sh/ at the beginning of a second or subsequent syllable in a word (in ven tion, dis sen sion, frac tion al).
Rule 15
Si is used to say sh when the syllable before it ends in an s (ses sion) or when the base word has an s where the base word changes.
Rule 16
Si may also say /zh/ as in vi sion.
Rule 17
We often double l, f, and s following a single vowel at the end of a one-syllable word. Rule 17 sometimes applies to two-syllable words (ball, still, im press).
Rule 18
We often use ay to say /a/ (ape) at the end of a base word (de lay, a way, yes ter day).
Rule 19
Vowels i and o may say their names if followed by two consonants (climb, post, sign, gold)
Rule 20
The letter s almost never follows x. The phonogram x includes the s sound (ex ist, ex am ine).
Rule 21
All, written alone, has two l's, but when written with another syllable, only one l is written (al most, al ready).

Write a little 3 above a because it is making its 3rd sound.
Rule 22
Till and full, written alone, have two l's, but when written with another syllable, only one l is written (un til, re spect ful)

When writing "ful" write a little 3 above the "u" because it is making its 3rd sound.
Rule 23
The phonogram dge may be used only afer a single vowel that says its first sound (dodge, judge, bridge, ledge).
Rule 24
When adding a suffix to a word that ends with a consonant and y, use i instead of y unless the suffix is ing (var i ous, stead i ly, heav i er).
Rule 25
The phonogram ck may be used only after a single vowel that says its first sound (pock et, knock, struck).
Rule 26
Capitalize names or titles of people, places, books, days, or months.
Rule 27
Words beginning with the z sound are always spelled with a z, never s (zoo, ze bra, zip)
Rule 28
The phonogram ed has 3 sounds and is used to form the past tense of verbs (re flect ed, fright ened, plant ed).
Rule 29
Words are usually divided between double consonants within a base word. For spelling, sound both consonants. For reading, only the consonant in the accented syllable is pronounced (syl la ble, but ton, ef fect, im pres sive).

Do not underline for this rule.
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