Definitions And Rules

Question 1

What parts of speech are words ending in us?

Answer 1

Nouns and verbs

Campus
Focus
Bus

Question 2

Name the six different kinds of syllables.

Answer 2

Closed
Open
Silent E
Diphthong
Consonant le
R combination

Question 3

When are these spellings used? k & ck

Answer 3

Words that end in the /k/ sound, spelled with k if a consonant or diphthong comes before it and ck if a single vowel comes before it.

The vowel needs something to lean on.

Question 4

Say the doubling rule for a two syllable word.

Answer 4

When a word of more than one syllable:
1) has the stress on the last syllable
2) ends in one consonant
3) with one vowel before the consonant
Double the final consonant when adding a suffix beginning with a vowel.

Question 5

What are the different ways of spelling the “er” sound?

Answer 5

Ear - earth
er - her
ir - bird
our - journey
ur - fur

And sometimes ar - dollar and or - color

Question 6

When are these spellings used “ch” and “tch?”

Answer 6

When spelling a word that ends in the /ch/ sound, it is spelled ch if a consonant or diphthong comes before it and tch if a single vowel comes before it.

Teaching tip: the vowel needs something to lean on.

Question 7

Name the key words for the different vowel sounds of y.

Answer 7

i – my & cyclone
e – happy
Short i – gym

Question 8

When do you change a y to an i before adding a suffix?

Answer 8

When a consonant precedes the y

Question 9

What part of speech is a word ending in ous?

Answer 9

Adjective

Question 10

What is a diphthong?

Answer 10

Two vowels blended together to form one sound

Question 11

Give an example of a vowel consonant e word.

Answer 11

Safe, these, pine, home, mule, rule, type

Question 12

When is silent e kept when adding a suffix?

Answer 12

When the suffix starts with a consonant

Question 13

Give an example of a closed syllable.

Answer 13

Ends in a consonant, has one vowel which is usually short: cat, bent, fin, lot. Sometimes long: find, cold.

Question 14

What are the 4 different sounds that y can make?

Answer 14

1) Y - yet (consonant at the beginning of a word)

Vowel sounds depend on the number of syllables and y’s place in the word.

2) I - my at the end of a one syllable word & cyclone at the end of the first syllable in a two syllable word
3) Short I - gym in the middle of the syllable
4) E - happy at the end of a two syllable word

Question 15

When making a plural, when do you add s or es?

Answer 15

Usually add s

If a word ends in x, z, ss, sh, or ch, usually add es – boxes, marshes, losses, watches

Question 16

Give an example of an open syllable.

Answer 16

Ends in one vowel – vowel is usually long: ba/by, spi/der, po/ny, mu/sic

Question 17

What is the y plus ending rule?

Answer 17

When a word ends in y with a consonant before it, change the y to i before adding the suffix.

Exception: if the suffix begins with an i, leave the y and add the suffix.

When a word ends in y with a vowel before it, keep the y and add the suffix.

Question 18

In which rule do you have to remember f, s, l, and z?

Answer 18

Words of one syllable having a short vowel and ending in f, l, s, or z, double the f, l, s, or z as in muff, sell, miss, and buzz.

Question 19

When are these spellings used, “ge” and “dge”?

Answer 19

When a word ends in the /j/ sound, it is spelled “ge” if a consonant, long vowel, or diphthong comes before it and “dge” if a single vowel comes before it.

Teaching tip: the vowel needs something to lean on.

Question 20

Say the doubling rule for a one syllable word.

Answer 20

When a word: (1) having one syllable, (2) ends in one consonant, (3) with one vowel before it, double the final consonant when adding a suffix beginning with a vowel.

If suffix begins with a consonant, do not double.

Question 21

What is the c and g rule?

Answer 21

C before e, I, or y gets the s sound as in cent, city, and cyclone.

G before e, i, or y gets the j sound and gem, giant and gym.

Question 22

A suffix goes at the _________ of a root word.

Answer 22

End

Question 23

Name a consonant le keyword.

Answer 23

Table, uncle, ladle, trifle, eagle,

sparkle, people, castle, title, puzzle

Question 24

When is silent e dropped before adding a suffix?

Answer 24

When the suffix begins with a vowel.

Question 25

What is a prefix?

Answer 25

Syllable that is added to the beginning of a root word.