Rules of Spelling

Do you find yourself misspelling words often? Are you PREFIXES

handicapped without the ‘spell check’ function on your 1. A syllable placed before a word to change its
computer? Are you fed up and irritated at losing marks meaning is called a ‘prefix’. Some prefixes are ‘im’,
for silly spelling errors? Don’t be! Improving your spelling ‘un’, ‘in’, ‘co’, ‘dis’, ‘inter’. Very often, you will find
is really quite simple, and all you have to do is keep a that a prefix has the effect of deriving the opposite
few simple rules in mind. Use this spelling guide to make of the word it is added on to.
sure you don’t lose marks for pointlessly silly mistakes!
DOUBLING THE FINAL CONSONANT
SPELLING PLURAL NOUNS 1. Words of one syllable ending in a single consonant
1. Most words add s to the root forms without any preceded by a single vowel double the final consonant
change (barn - barns). before adding ‘ed’ and ‘ing’ (trim - trimmed - trimming).
2. Words ending in sh, ch, ss, x, and z, usually add 2. Words of two or more syllables double the final
es to form the PLURAL (bush - bushes). consonant before adding ‘ed’ and ‘ing’ when these
conditions are met: the last syllable ends in a single
3. Words ending in a consonant and y change the y to
consonant preceded by a single vowel, and the
I, and add es (party - parties). accent is on the last syllable (refer - referred - referring).
4. Some words ending in f change the f to v and add es
(calf - calves).
POSSESSIVE FORMS
1. Singular nouns form the possessive by adding an
5. Some singular words have different words for their
apostrophe and ‘s’ (pilot - pilot’s).
plural form (man - men; mouse - mice; goose-geese).
2. Plural nouns that end in ‘s’ add only an apostrophe
SUFFIXES to form the possessive (aviators - aviators’).
1. A letter or a syllable placed after a word to form a 3. Plural nouns that do not end in s add the apos-
new word is called a ‘suffix’. Some suffixes are: ‘s’, trophe and s to form the possessive (men - men’s).
‘es’, ‘ed’, ‘ing’, ‘er’, ‘est’, ‘ly’, ‘ful’, ‘able’, ‘ible’, ‘ment’, CONTRACTIONS
‘ive’, ‘ance’, ‘ence’, ‘ion’, ‘tion’, ‘ition’, ‘ation’, ‘sion’,
1. A word or phrase that has been shortened by leaving
‘ous’, ‘ious’, ‘less’, and ‘al’. Most often, these
out some of the letters is called a ‘contraction’.
suffixes are used to derive the adjectival form of a
2. An apostrophe is used to show that the letters have
noun. Sometimes a word may even have two
been omitted (won’t - will not), (o’clock - of the clock).
suffixes. For example, ‘respectfully’ has the two
suffixes ‘ful’ and ‘ly’ added to the root word ‘respect’. CAPITALS
2. Many words are formed by adding ‘ed’ and ‘ing’ 1. The beginning of a sentence is always capitalised
without any change (furnish - furnished - furnishing). (The day was bright and sunny.).
3. Words ending in a silent ‘e’ drop the ‘e’ before adding 2. The names of holidays are capitalised (Christmas,
‘ed’ and ‘ing’ (move - moved - moving). Valentine’s Day).
4. Words ending in a consonant and ‘y’ change the ‘y’ 3. The names of the months of the year and the days
of the week are capitalised (January, Monday).
to ‘i’ before adding ‘ed’, but do not make any change
before adding ‘ing’ (deny - denied - denying). 4. The names of countries are capitalised (India, Great
Britain).
5. Words ending in a vowel and ‘y’ add ‘ed’ and ‘ing’
without making any other change (delay - delayed - 5. When you write the name of a particular avenue or
street, capitalise the words avenue and street (Fifth
delaying).
Avenue, Oak Street).
11.2 Rules of Spelling
6. The abbreviations Mr., Mrs. and Ms. are always 5. In your dictionary each word is re-spelled according
capitalised and followed by a period (Mr. Callahan, to its pronunciation. The vowels are marked
Mrs. Perry, Ms. Smith). according to their sounds, and the accented syllables
7. The names of deities are capitalised (God, Allah, are shown. The marks for the vowel sounds are called
diacritical marks. These marks vary from dictionary
Buddha, Saviour).
to dictionary. Please consult the beginning of your
8. The word ‘republican’ is capitalised when it refers to own dictionary for the explanation of diacritical marks
the Republican party (The Republicans won the used in that particular publication.
election.). That is, when a word that can be used as
6. The two words at the top of each dictionary page
both a common noun and a proper noun is used in
are called guidewords. The guidewords are the first
the latter sense, make sure you capitalise it. and last words on that particular page.
9. When words like senator and general are used as
titles with a person’s name, they are capitalised SPECIAL WORDS
(General Herkes distinguished herself in battle.). 1. Compound Words are made by writing two small
words together to make one larger word. (newspaper,
10. We capitalise the words capitol, senate, building,
somebody)
supreme and court when referring to the Capitol
Building, the Senate, the Supreme Court of Canada. 2. A root word is the root, or beginning word, from which
another word is made. ‘Play’ is the root word of
LETTERS AND SYLLABLES ‘plays’, ‘played’ and ‘playing’.
1. The vowels are a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes y and w. 3. Derived words are words that come from other words.
The other letters are consonants. ‘Suitable’ is derived from ‘suit’; ‘advertisement’ from
2. Two vowels written together often have the sound of ‘advertise’. Sometimes the spelling of the root word
a single vowel. (In brain, the ‘ai’ has the sound of ‘a’. is slightly changed in the derived word.
In ‘eagle’ the ‘ea’ has the sound of a long ‘e’, but in 4. A synonym is a word having almost the same
‘bread’ it has the sound of a short ‘e’. This rule will meaning as another word. (replied - answered;
help you with the ‘ei’ and ‘ie’ words: ‘i’ comes before accurate - exact)
‘e’ except after ‘c’ or when sounded like ‘a’, as in 5. An antonym is a word that is opposite in meaning to
‘neighbour’ and ‘weigh’. another word. (private -public; good - bad)
3. A syllable is a word or part of a word, which has one 6. Homonyms are words that are pronounced alike but
vowel sound and is spoken as a unit. (boy is a one- which are spelled in different ways and have different
syllable word; chil-dren is a two-syllable word; or- meanings (knew - new; steel - steal; deer - dear)
na-ment is a three syllable word. In every word of Looks a little complicated, doesn’t it? But don’t
two or more syllables one syllable is given more worry– remember that you don’t have to go about
emphasis than the other. This extra emphasis is learning these rules – you must acquire the habit of
called accent, and is shown in the dictionary by an following these rules over time. The more you read
accent mark ( ‘ ) and write, the easier it will be for you to avoid spelling
4. (In meet’ ing the first syllable is accented.) Most mistakes! Most important of all – use your dictionary
well! It has a wealth of information on how to use
words have only one accented syllable, but some
words, in speech as well as in writing, and you would
have more than one (in’ for ma’ tion). The accent
be giving up a wonderful opportunity to improve your
that is the heavier is called the primary accent. The
other accent is called the secondary accent. English if you don’t make full use of the lexicon!