Page 19 - The Vocabulary Expander US Grades 6-8

Spelling Rules and Conventions | L2 Conventions of Standard English: Spelling

Spelling Rules and Conventions
S p elling R ules and C on v en tions

Orthography is the study of spelling, its patterns and the way letters and syllables combine
to create words. Each language has its own spelling conventions. These are useful to help us
work out the way to spell words, from their sounds and the relationship between them and
other words.

The spelling of more advanced vocabulary is often made challenging by one or two elements,
such as: silent letters, double consonants, ‘e’ or ‘a’ decisions and the order of vowels. Spelling
rules can help us with these.

A All these sentences contain a word which is misspelt as it is missing its silent letter.
Identify the word by underlining and writing it out correctly.

1. He reconised the actor from his favorite program instantly. ____________

2. The newly-elected goverment minister declined an interview. ____________

3. Everyone was garanteed permission to attend the concert. ____________

4. All night long, he was tormented by a raging earace. ____________

5. The historian provided fasinating insights into evolution. ____________

6. Leaning on his weapon, he contemplated the sene. ____________

7. It was a fledgling, but successful, little busness. ____________

8. Tired by the lenthy meeting, she sought excuses to leave. ____________

9. Autum came with its misty mornings and dewy lawns. ____________
10. She felt that the entire jury had condemed her from the outset. ____________

11. The arcitect had won many awards for her imaginative building designs. ____________
12. Holding the sord above his head, the warrior threatened to end his life. ____________

13. The rein of Queen Elizabeth I was a time of exploration and discovery. ____________

14. While desending the mountain, the climbers found an abandoned tent. ____________

15. Eliza was in so much det that she could not afford to pay the bill. ____________

B A useful way to work out spellings is by sounding them out. You do these by breaking
them into their units of pronunciation: syllables. For each of these words, identify the
number of syllables by sounding them out – use your fingers to count if you wish.

word syllables word syllables

1. indescribable 2. collaboratively
3. obstructively 4. meandering

5. evolutionary 6. penitentiary

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