Spelling Rules• For a soft “c” or “g” sound, make sure you

have an i, e, or y afterward– Courageous; malice; gyroscope

• For a hard “c” or “g,” use a, o, u, or a consonant– Coverage; Galadriel; hickory; gunk

• EXCEPTIONS: Can you think of any?– Get; gill;

Rules for Prefixes• When you add a prefix, don’t change the

prefix or the base word.– Dis (not) + appear = Disappear

• Exceptions: When you use prefixes like ad- (toward), com- (with), or in- (not), you have to change the prefix to match the base word– In (not) + legal = inlegal? No…– illegal

Spelling Rule #2Spelling Rule #2Spelling Rule #2Spelling Rule #2

Using HyphensUsing Hyphens

Compound Adjectives• A compound adjective is two words used

together to describe a noun.• Compound adjectives before a noun must

have a hyphen:– Richard devoured five raspberry-filled truffles.

• Compound adjectives after a noun do not take a hyphen:– Her fingernails were painted blood red.

Adverb-Adjective Combinations

• Sometimes an adverb-adjective combination can describe a noun. Do NOT use a hyphen with these.– Felix’s neatly organized desk only

confused Oscar.

• Hint: “-ly” words are almost always adverbs

Other Uses For Hyphens• In whole numbers (21 – 99) and fractions

– Thirty-two; five-eighths; seven thirty-seconds• In ages

– 11- to 14-year-old swimmers• With some prefixes and suffixes

– Self-service; mid-December; germ-free• In some last names

– Fay-Zenk• To divide a word into syllables at the end of a line

References• Nitty-Gritty Grammar: A Not-So-

Serious Guide to Clear Communication by Edith H. Fine and Judith P. Josephson

• Write Source 2000