© boardworks ltd 2006 1 of 18© boardworks ltd 20061 of 18 teacher’s notes included in the notes...

© Boardworks Ltd 20061 of 18 © Boardworks Ltd 20061 of 18

Teacher’s notes included in the Notes Page

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Complex and Unfamiliar Words

Year 8 Spelling Starters

© Boardworks Ltd 20062 of 18

Contents

Homophones and commonly confused words

Complex words

Word roots

Spelling strategies



Complex and Unfamiliar Words – Homophones


Homophones and commonly confused words


chooseor chose?

Do these words ever puzzle you?

affect or effect?

accept or except?

practice orpractise?

principal orprinciple?quite

or quiet?

Commonly confused words

lose orloose?


Many commonly confused words are homophones – words which sound exactly the same but which are spelt differently. Some words are confused because, whilst not exactly the same, they sound or look very similar.

Knowing the reason behind the difference may help you remember the word.

Sometimes you may have to think up a little ‘trick’ or way of remembering how to spell the word – like sounding it out or with a mnemonic.

Homophones

I remind myself that ‘beautiful’ has a ‘u’ in it

by remembering the phrase ‘u are beautiful’!


accept – a verb meaning to receive.

except – a word meaning not including.

affect – a verb meaning to influence or change.

effect – a noun meaning a result.

Homophones

I’m sorry I gave everyone a Christmas present except you.

I accept your apology.

Working too hard can affect your health.

But the effect of my hard work was a really good exam grade!


principal – an adjective meaning first, main or leading and a noun meaning leader.

principle – a noun meaning a basic rule or belief.

practice – a noun.

practise – a verb.

Homophones

I think Mr Jackson’s principal reason for becoming principal of our school was his love of power.

I’m going to disagree with you on a matter of principle.

Do you want to come to football practice with me?

No thanks, I need to practise my spelling!


weather – a noun meaning sunshine, rain, etc.

whether – a conjunction meaning if.

Homophones/commonly confused words

chose – (rhymes with those) Past tense.

choose – (rhymes with shoes) Present tense and infinitive.

What’s the weather going to be like later?

I don’t know whether it’s going

to be sunny or rainy.

I need to choose a pair of shoes for the dance on Friday.

I already chose those red ones I told you about.


Commonly confused words

quite – an adverb meaning fairly or completely.

quiet – an adjective or a noun meaning silent, silence.

lose – (rhymes with whose) a verb meaning to not win.

loose – (rhymes with truce) an adjective meaning not tight.

I’m quite annoyed with Max.

Only because he told you to be quiet in the library!

Whose bracelet did you lose?

Lei’s – it was too loose anyway, so we made a truce about it.


Homophones




Complex words




Word roots


Knowing about the roots (or stems) of words, particularly those with Latin and Greek roots, can help you get to grips with unfamiliar words.

anti (against) + dote (given) = antidoteabs (from, away) + tain (keep) = abstaincontra (against) + dict (say) = contradictpro (onwards) + pel (drive) = propel

Can you find examples of these roots in other words?

How do the roots of these words help us to understand the meanings? (Check in a dictionary.)

Roots of words




Spelling strategies


Look for and study words that catch you out. Use the ‘look, say, cover, write, check’ technique to practise spelling difficult words.

You may find looking at the roots of words helpful and learning the meanings of the different prefixes and suffixes, so that you can break long words into more manageable chunks.

Splitting words into different syllables and sounding them out can help you to spell difficult words correctly.

Remember to record new words in your spelling journal.

Spelling strategies

© boardworks ltd 2006 1 of 18© boardworks ltd 20061 of 18 teacher’s notes included in the notes...

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