Unit 7

Strengthening Your Spelling

Chapter 39

Spelling

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Look closely at the words on the page. Use any tricks you can to remember the right spelling.

Use a dictionary. Even professional writers frequently check spelling in a dictionary.

Use a spell checker. If you write on a computer, make a habit of using the spell check software.

Keep a list of the words you misspell. Look over your list whenever you can and keep it handy as you write.

Look over corrected papers for misspelled words (often marked sp.). Add these words to your list. Practice writing each word three or four times.

Test yourself. Use flash cards or have a friend dictate words from your list.

Tips for Improving Your Spelling

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To learn some basic spelling rules, you must know the difference between vowels and consonants.

The vowels are a, e, i, o, and u.

The consonants are b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v, w, x, and z.

The letter y can be either a vowel or a consonant, depending on its sound.

Spotting Vowels and Consonants

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When you add a suffix or an ending that begins with a vowel (like -ed, -ing, -er, -est) to a word of one syllable, double the final consonant if the last three letters of the word are consonant-vowel-consonant or c-v-c.

plan + ed = planned swim + ing = swimmingthin + est = thinnest light + er = lighter

Doubling the Final Consonant (in Words of One Syllable)

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When you add a suffix that begins with a vowel to a word of more than one syllable, double the final consonant if:

1. the last three letters of the word are cvc, and2. the accent or stress is on the last syllable.

begin + ing = beginning control + ed = controlled

Doubling the Final Consonant (in Words of More Than One Syllable)

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When you add a suffix that begins with a vowel (like -able, -ence, -ing), drop the final e.

When you add a suffix that begins with a consonant (like -less, -ment, -ly), keep the fi nal e.

move + ing = moving pure + ity = purityhome + less = homeless advertise + ment =

advertisement

Dropping or Keeping the Final E

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When you add a suffix to a word that ends in -y, change the y to i if the letter before the y is a consonant.

Keep the final y if the letter before the y is a vowel.

happy + ness = happiness portray + ed = portrayed

Keeping or Changing the Final Y

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Nouns usually take an -s or an -es ending to form the plural.

Verbs take an -s or –es in the third person singular (he, she, or it).

Add -es instead of -s if a word ends in ch, sh, ss, x, or z (the -es adds an extra syllable to the word).

box + es = boxes crutch + es = crutches miss + es = misses

Adding -S or –ES

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Add -es instead of -s for most words that end in o:

do + es = does hero + es = heroesecho + es = echoes tomato + es = tomatoesgo + es = goes potato + es = potatoes

Adding -S or –ES

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Write i before e, except after c or in an ay sound like neighbor or weigh.

achieve niece deceive vein

However, words with a shen sound are spelled with an ie after the c.

ancient conscience efficient sufficient

Choosing IE or EI

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Find the misspelled word in each group. Spell it correctly.

1. technique, vacuum, salery, schedule2. fourty, certain, justify, label3. magazine, parallel, minnimum, existence4. flexible, restaurant, carreer, convenient5. vacancy, attornies, apologize, desperate6. misspell, intelligent, amount, answer7. quantity, hurredly, unique, actually8. label, competition, committee, gaurantee9. financial, recommend, jealous, opponet10. persuade, seperate, annual, jeopardy

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Find the misspelled word in each group. Spell it correctly.

11. divide, mortgage, continully, origin12. criticism, quanity, pamphlet, athlete13. libary, exaggerate, professor, cancellation14. existence, category, confrence, approximate15. forward, development, interupt, nickel16. generally, usualy, brilliant, satisfactory17. aquaint, questionnaire, parallel, imagine18. bureau, asistant, unnecessary, strength19. benefit, laboratory, article, abcense20. excellent, duplacate, meant, temperament

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EXPLORING ONLINE

http://www.esldesk.com/eslquizzes/misspelled-words/index.htm

Challenge yourself. 500 commonly misspelled words in English. Learn new words and quiz yourself.

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Chapter 40

Look-Alikes/ Sound-Alikes

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Common look alikes and sound alikes:

A/an/and Accept/exceptAffect/effect Been/beingBuy/by It’s/itsKnow/knew/no/new Lose/loosePast/passed Quiet/quit/quiteRise/raise Sit/setSuppose/supposed Their/there/they’reThen/than Through/thoughTo/too/two Use/usedWeather/whether Where/were/we’reWhose/who’s Your/you’re

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EXPLORING ONLINE

http://a4esl.org/q/h/homonyms.html

Confused by English words that sound alike? Practice and learn with these excellent quizzes.