Why is good spelling important?

Good spelling habits

ie and ei

–cede, –ceed, and –sede

Prefixes

Suffixes

Plurals of nouns

Review A

Review B

Improving Your Spelling

Why is good spelling important?

Misspelled words will distract your reader and keep you from communicating clearly. Poor spelling also sends the wrong message—about you.

She must be pretty sloppy.This is so

hard to read!

Good spelling habits

Most of us are not “natural” spellers. But we can all improve if we

• pronounce words carefully

• use a dictionary

• spell words by syllables

• proofread for careless errors

• keep a spelling notebook

How do you pronounce athlete?

If you say athelete instead of athlete, you might spell the word incorrectly.

Good spelling habits

Pronounce words carefully

• Practice saying a word.• Study it.• Write it from memory.

probably

early

Even good spellers have to look up words.

Good spelling habits

Spell words by syllables

A syllable is a word part that is pronounced as one uninterrupted sound.

When you’re learning to pronounce and spell a new word, it’s easier to break it up into syllables.

ear/ly

prob/a/bly

Use a dictionary

Don’t guess.

REMEMBER: Spellcheckers can help, but they cannot point out words that sound alike but are spelled differently (such as its and it’s).

Read your work. Dot your i’s. Cross your t’s. Is that a g or a q? Should that word be its or it’s?

Good spelling habits

Proofread for careless errors

Good spelling habits

Keep a spelling notebook

Correct Spelling

Syllables and Accents

Trouble Spots Comments

answer answer answer Silent w

casually casually casually casual + ly

′

′

Use a dictionary!

Never enter a misspelled

word.

Which letters give you

problems?

Anything that will help you remember

[End of Section]

ie and ei

Write ie when the sound is a long e.

achieve

believe

chief

yield

niece

relief

receive perceiveceiling

When the long e comes after c, write ei.

ie and ei

Write ei when the sound is not a long e.

height weigh

friendkerchief

mischief

foreign veil

heir

counterfeit

[End of Section]

Exceptions

seize

leisure

either

Most other words with this sound end with –cede.

–cede, –ceed, and –sede

Only three words end in –ceed.

supersede

proceed

intercede

succeed

Only one English word ends in –sede.

precede

secede

exceed

recede accede

concede

On Your Own

Correct any misspelled word in these sentences. If all the words are spelled correctly, write C.

1. Be careful whenever you lift wieghts.

2. My cousin Clyde plans to become a priest.

3. The color guard preceeded the marching band in the parade.

4. The new fire cheif will be Holly Whitehead.

5. Niether of the boys could acheive his goals.

[End of Section]

ie and ei–cede, –ceed, and –sede

A prefix is a word part that is added before a base word or root.

Prefixes

When you add a prefix to a word, don’t change the spelling of the original word.

[End of Section]

dis honest

selfish

view

un

pre

dishonest

unselfish

preview

+

+

+

=

=

=

payment

A suffix is a word part that is added after a base word or root.

Suffixes

nessdark

pay ment

darkness+

+

=

=

hope ful hopeful+ =

sleep ing sleeping+ =

For most words ending in y, change y to i before adding –ly or –ness.

Suffixes

When you add the suffix –ly or –ness, do not change the spelling of the original word.

lazy

suddenly suddenness

Exception

lazily laziness

heavy heavily heaviness

Keep a final silent e when you add a suffix that begins with a consonant.

Suffixes

Drop a final silent e when you add a suffix that begins with a vowel.

adore adoring adorable

write written writing

placement careful lovely

• Change the y to i if there’s a consonant right before the y, unless the suffix begins with i.

Suffixes

When you add a suffix to a word that ends in y:

• If there’s a vowel right before the y, just add the suffix.

enjoy

lonely loneliest

enjoyment

carry carrying

Suffixes

Double the final consonant before adding –ing, –ed, –er, or –est if the word

• has only one syllable

• ends with a single consonant preceded by a single vowel

beg + ing begging

and

=

clap + ed clapped=

Suffixes

Do NOT double the final consonant before adding –ing, –ed, –er, or –est if the final consonant does not have a single vowel right before it.

edreap reaped+ =

ercold colder+ =

On Your Own

Provide the correct spelling of the word and the prefix or suffix in parentheses.

1. The judge will ______________ the lawyer’s objection. (over + rule)

2. Juno was the ___________ dog on the search-and-rescue team. (brave + est)

3. The children were ___________ their new swing set. (enjoy + ing)

4. Marta ________ for the movie tickets. (pay + ed)

[End of Section]

Prefixes and suffixes

Plurals of nouns

The plurals of most nouns are formed by adding either s or es.

For most nouns, simply add s.

Add es if the noun ends in s, x, z, ch, or sh.

girl girls

banana bananas

moss mosses

itch itches

bush bushes

Singular Plural

If a noun ends in y preceded by a consonant, change y to i and add es.

Don’t change the y to i in proper nouns.

Plurals of nouns

story stories

lady ladies

hobby hobbies

Curry Currys

Kelly Kellys

Singular PluralNouns ending in y

Plurals of nouns

key keys

turkey turkeys

highway highways

Singular Plural

If a noun ends in y preceded by a vowel, just add s.

Nouns ending in y

Plurals of nouns

For others, change the f to v before adding s or es.

sheriff sheriffs

gulf gulfs

knife knives

thief thieves

loaf loaves

Singular Plural

For some nouns that end in f or fe, add s.

Nouns ending in f or fe

Plurals of nouns

If the final o is preceded by a consonant, add es.

rodeo rodeos

igloo igloos

veto vetoes

hero heroes

potato potatoes

Singular Plural

For nouns that end in o preceded by a vowel, add s.

Nouns ending in o

Plurals of nouns

Some nouns don’t change form at all.

woman women

goose geese

ox oxen

child children

deer deer

Singular Plural

Some nouns form their plurals in irregular ways.

aircraft aircraft

Nouns that have irregular plurals

On Your Own

Provide the correct plural of the noun in parentheses.1. We passed several _________ on the way. (church)2. Are all of the _________ healthy? (puppy)3. Fireplaces and __________ must be cleaned

regularly. (chimney)4. Most of the rooms have _________. (patio)5. The farmworkers had difficult _________. (life)6. Jackie has five pet __________. (mouse)

[End of Section]

Plurals of nouns

[End of Section]

Review A

For each sentence, choose the correctly spelled word in parentheses.

1. Their wedding was a (joious, joyous) event.

2. All the (babies, babys) are asleep.

3. The little boy would never try to (deceive, decieve) his parents.

4. Tom was bothered by my (messyness, messiness).

5. The cast will hold your leg (immobile, imobile) until it heals.

[End of Section]

Review B

Correct each spelling error in the following sentences.

1. The frieght train ran off the tracks and crashed.

2. That argument sounds ilogical to me.

3. Max was sincerly sorry that he hurt my feellings.

4. I would happyly go to the play with you.

5. The horse faceing the fence is the one I like.

6. Do not excede the speed limit on these roades.

The End