English Spelling

For elementary and pre-intermediate students by Viv Quarry (www.vivquarry.com)

The first step to dominating English spelling is to learn the English alphabet.

There are only seven sounds in the English alphabet:

A
 
E

I

 
O
 
U
 
F
 
R
 
H
 
B
 
Y

 

  

Q
 
L

 

  

J
 
C

 

 

 

  

W
 
M

 

  

K
 
D

 

 

 

 

 

  

N

 

 

 

  

G

 

 

 

 

 

  

S

 

 

 

  

P

 

 

 

 

 

  

X

 

 

 

  

T

 

 

 

 

 

  

Z(UK)

 

 

 

  

V

 

 

 

 

 

  

/ZED/

 

 

 

  

Z(USA)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

/ZEE/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Singing the alphabet or learning this poem will help you to learn the difficult letters.

A is for Say

E is for Easy

I is for Iodine

G is for Genius

H is in Nature

J is for Jane

K is for OKAY

R is what the doctor tells you to say!

X is for Extra

Y is a question?

Z sounds like red, head & bed

Spelling rules (In English there are exceptions to every rule!)

  1. Plural nouns
  2. Most nouns add 's'

book Þ books, student Þ students

If the noun ends in 'S', 'SH', 'CH' or 'X' add 'ES'

bus Þ buses, church Þ churches, watch Þ watches, box Þ boxes

If it ends in CONSONANT + Y, the 'Y' changes to 'IES'

country Þ countries, party Þ parties

If it ends in VOWEL + Y, add 'S'

boy Þ boys, day Þ days

If it ends 'F' or 'FE', the 'F' changes to 'VES'

wife Þ wives, knife Þ knives

SOME NOUNS ARE IRREGULAR!

child Þ children, woman Þ women, person Þ people, man Þ men, tooth Þ teeth, mouse Þ mice, sheep Þ sheep

  1. The third person (verbs with 'he', 'she' and 'it')
  2. Most verbs add 'S'

wear Þ wears

speak Þ speaks

live Þ lives

GO and DO are different! With them, add 'ES'

go Þ goes, do Þ does

If the verb ends in 'S', 'SH', 'CH' or 'X' add 'ES'

kiss Þ kisses, wash Þ washes, watch Þ watches, fix Þ fixes

If the verb ends in CONSONANT + Y, the 'Y' changes to 'IES'

fly Þ flies, study Þ studies

If the verb ends in VOWEL + Y, add 'S'

play Þ plays

'HAVE' IS IRREGULAR!

have Þ has

  1. Spelling of verb + ing.
  2. Most verbs add 'ING'

wear Þ wearing, go Þ going, cook Þ cooking, hold Þ holding

If the verb ends in 'E', DROP the 'E'

write Þ writing, smile Þ smiling, take Þ taking

ONE SYLLABLE VERBS with ONE VOWEL and END IN A CONSONANT, DOUBLE the CONSONANT

sit Þ sitting, get Þ getting, run Þ running

If the verb ends in 'Y', DON'T DROP the 'Y'!

study Þ studying

  1. There are some differences between British and American spelling.

Words which end in 'ER' in American English, end in 'RE' in British spelling

center (USA) Þ centre (UK)

theater (USA) Þ theatre (UK)

centimeter (USA) Þ centimetre (UK)

Final 'L' is usually doubled in British English

traveling (USA) Þ travelling (UK)

Some nouns are spelt differently in British and American English

traveler's checks (USA) Þ traveller's cheques (UK)

Practice exercises

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