- Rule 1: Every syllable must have a vowel.
- Rule 2: English words do not end with i, j, u, or v.
- Rule 3: The letter j is used only at the beginning of a word or syllable, never at the end of a word.
- Rule 4: The letter s never follows x.
- Rule 5: The letter x says ‘ks’ at the end of a syllable and it says ‘z’ at the beginning of a syllable.
- Rule 6: The letter z is usually used to say ‘z’ at the beginning of a syllable.
- Rule 7: In English, q and u are written together to form the phonogram qu.
- Rule 8: When compound words are written, both words keep their original spelling.
- Vowel Rule 1: (cat) A single vowel usually says its first sound in a closed syllable. A closed syllable ends with a consonant.
- Vowel Rule 2: (want) A single vowel may say its third or fourth sound in a closed syllable.
- Vowel Rule 3: (me) The single vowels a, e, o, u usually say their second sound in an open syllable. An open syllable ends with a vowel.
- Vowel Rule 4:(to) A single vowel may say its third or fourth sounds in an open syllable.
- Vowel Rule 5: (I, my, fam-i-ly, ra-di-o) Vowels i and y may say ‘i’ in an open syllable, but usually they say ‘e’ or ‘i’.
- Vowel Rule 6: (kind) Vowels i and o may say their second sound when followed by two consonants.
- Vowel Rule 7: (may) English words do not end with a saying ‘a’ (its second sound). Exception: the article a)
- Vowel Rule 8: (ar, er, ir, or, ur, ear, our) The letter r joins with all of the vowels and some combinations to make the vowel sound ‘er’.
- Vowel Rule 9: (war) ar says ‘or’ when it follows w or qu.
- Consonant Rule 1: (will) We often double l, f, s, and z at the end of a one-syllable word following a single vowel.
- Consonant Rule 2: (shark) sh is used to say ‘sh’ at the beginning of a word, at the end of a syllable, in compound words, and the ending ‘ship’; not at the beginning of most syllables after the first one.
- Consonant Rule 3: (na-tion) ti, ci, and si are used to say ‘sh; at the beginning of any syllable after the first one. They are never used to say ‘sh’ at the beginning of a word.
- Consonant Rule 4: (car) c says ‘k’ when followed by a, o, u, or a consonant.
- Consonant Rule 5: (city) c says ‘s’ when followed by e, i, or y
- Consonant Rule 6: (kite) k is used to say ‘k’ before e, i, or y
- Consonant Rule 7: (gone) g can say ‘g’ before any letter.
- Consonant Rule 8: (gentle) g only say ‘j’ when followed by e, i, or y
- Consonant Rule 9: (pack) ck is used after a single vowel saying, ‘a’, ‘e’, ‘i’, ‘o’, ‘u’ (first sounds).
- Consonant Rule 10: (thank) k is used at the end of one syllable word, following a consonant, a phonogram or a vowel saying its name or second sound.
- Consonant Rule 11: (mus-ic) c is used at the end of a multi-syllable word.
- Consonant Rule 12: (pic-nic) Add a k to words ending with c to retain the ‘k’ sound when adding a prefix beginning with e, i, or y.
‘ch’ at the end of a word
- Consonant Rule 13: (catch) tch is used after a single vowel saying ‘a’, ‘e’, ‘i’, ‘o’, ‘u’ (first sounds).
- Consonant Rule 14: (crunch) ch is used at the end of a word following a consonant or a multi-letter phonogram.
- Consonant Rule 15: (badge) dge is used after a single vowel saying, ‘a’, ‘e’, ‘i’, ‘o’, ‘u’ (first sounds).
- Consonant Rule 16: (orange) ge is used following a consonant, a multi-letter phonogram and a vowel saying its name.
The second sound of u changes the sounds of d, t, and s
- Consonant Rule 17: (education) The letter d often says ‘j’ when followed by u saying its second sound.
- Consonant Rule 18: (picture) The letter t often says ‘ch’ when followed by u saying its second sound
- Consonant Rule 19: (issue) The letter s often says ‘sh’ or ‘zh’ when followed by u saying its second sound.
- Syllable Rule 1: (lit·tle)Always divide between double consonants
- Syllable Rule 2: (cen·er)Divide between two consonants unless they are a phonogram.
- Syllable Rule 3: (open/o·pen) When one consonant is between two vowels, divide before the consonant if the vowel says its second sound (creating an open syllable).
- Syllable Rule 4: (qui-et)Divide between vowels if both are sounded.
- Syllable Rule 5: (shak-ing)Divide between root words and affixes.
- Syllable Rule 6: (into/ in·to) Divide between words that create a compound word.
- Silent Final e Rule 1: (ate) The e lets the vowel say its name.
- Note: this rule only applies to words that end with a VCe (vowel, consonant, silent e or with a vowel, consonant phonogram, silent e)
- Silent Final e Rule 2: (true) English words do not end with u or v.
- Silent Final e Rule 3: (dance) The e lets c and g say their second sound.
- Silent Final e Rule 4: (uncle) Every syllable must have a vowel.
- Silent Final e Rule 5: (house) Root words do not end with single s or z (exceptions: is, his, this, bus, gas)
- Silent Final e Rule 6: (are) No job e (no other rules apply)
- Final Y Words Rule 1: If the suffix begins with i, keep the y and add the suffix.
- Final Y Words Rule 2: When final y follows a vowel, keep the y and add the suffix.
- Final Y Words Rule 3: When final y follows a consonant, change y to i and add the suffix.
- Consonant Suffix Rule 1: When a consonant suffix is added, the root word does not change-just add the suffix. (expection: final y words)
- Vowel Suffix Rule 1: Double the last consonant before adding a vowel suffix to a one-syllable word ending with one vowel and one consonant.
- Vowel Suffix Rule 2: Double the last consonant before adding a vowel suffix to a multi-syllable word ending with one vowel and one consonant, IF the accent is on the last syllable and the accent stays on the same syllable after the suffix added.
- Vowel Suffix Rule 3: Drop the e before adding a vowel suffix to a silent final e word.
- s-Form Rule 1: most words, just add s.
- s-Form Rule 2: Add es to words ending with the sounds 'j', 's', 'x', 'z','ch', and 'sh'. Adding the es following these sounds creates a second syllable.