spelling

MAKING WORDS PLURAL

• most of the time, we can just add an “s.”–ex: keys, footballs, pancakes.

• words that end in “ch,” “x,” or “s,” you have to add “es.”–ex: boxes, witches, fusses, buses.

MAKING WORDS PLURAL

• words that end in a consonant and a “y,” change the “y” to an “i” and add “es.”ex: ruby —> rubies marry —> marries

• words that end in “ f “ or “ fe,” change the “ f “ sound to a “v” sound, add “es.”ex: life —> lives leaf —> leaves

hoof —> hooves elf —> elves*Exceptions: dwarfs, roofs

MAKING WORDS PLURAL

• irregular plural forms (odd cases)–ex: woman —> women

goose —> geesemouse —> miceperson —> peopledeer —> deer

Words that end with “e”

• Drop the “e” if the suffix (ending) starts with a vowel

Blame + ing = Blaming

Don’t drop the “e” if the suffix starts with a consonant

Same + ness + Sameness

Words ending in a consonant and ‘y’

• Change the “y” to an ‘i’ before adding ending

Pretty + ness + prettiness

. . . Unless the ending begins with an ‘I”

Cry + ing + crying

Words ending with a vowel and “y”

• Keep the “Y”

Destroy + ing = destroying

One syllable words

• If they end with a single consonant and a single vowel, double final consonant

Slam + ed = slammed

“i” before “e” except after “c”

• Niece• Piece• But . . . Receipt, receive, deceive

Exception: when the word sounds like “way”SleighNeigh

Rules to improve spelling

• Use a dictionary or spell-checker• Check it over yourself. You will catch more

mistakes than you think• Break larger words into smaller:– Beau ti ful

– Look for smaller words in larger ones• To mor row