Spelling Generalizations with Within-Word Level Characteristics

Generalization (most common usage) Most Common Example Predictability (%) Exceptions Usage (%)
1. In English words, /v/ in the final position is spelled -ve. have, five > 99 of < 1
2. After a vowel digraph, r-controlled or consonant/k/at the end of a one-syllable word , spell with k. book, perk, mask 90 disc, arc 10
3. For long vowels a, i, o, and u in the middle of a one-syllable word, spell with v-e (vowel-consonant-e), the final e is silent and the vowel says and spells its name. cake, mine, joke, cube 84a sail, light, type, boat, bowl, lewd 16
4. In a one-syllable base word, long e is spelled with ee. feet, three 83 leap, meat 13
5. When the final base word sound is long a, spell with ay. day, play 84 they, weigh 16
6. When the final base word sound is long i, spell with vowel y. fly, dignify 80 sigh, pie 10, 10
7. In a closed syllable with the two consonants after an i or o, the i and o often spell and say their names. mind, sold 75 mint, bond 25
8. In any syllable position, oo as in moon, spell with digraph oo. soon, ooze 86 soup, you 14
9. In any syllable position, oo as in book, spell with digraph oo. took, foot 82 should 18
10. For diphthong /ou/ spell with ou in the initial and medial position. out, shout 77 brown 23
11. For diphthong /ou/, spell with ow in the final position. cow, plow 95 thou 5
12. For /oi/ in the initial and medial position, spell with oi. oil, foil 88 royal 12
13. For /oi/ in the final position, spell with oy. joy, employ 100    
14. For /o/ in the initial and medial position, as the first sound in August, spell with au.b saucer, augment 88 fawn, sprawl 12
15. In a one-syllable word, for /o/ before the letter l, spell with an a.b talk, call 86 talc, valve 14
16. For /o/ in the final position, as in paw, spell with aw.b saw, jaw 91 awe 9
17. For soft g /j/, in the initial and medial position when the next letter is i, e, or y, spell with g. gem, gym, gist 80 jilt, jet 20
18. For hard /g/ in the initial and medial position when the next letter is not e, i, or y, spell with g. gave, glass, got, gull 96 get, gizzard 4
19. Spell the final /j/ in a base word with pillow -dge after a short vowel. budge, ridge 100    
20. Spell the final /ch/ in a base word with -tch after a short vowel. witch, batch 91 rich 9
21. Spell the final /ch/ in a base word with -ch after a vowel digraph, r-control, or consonant. gorge, hinge 99 college 1
23. With a long vowel, vowel digraph, r-control, or consonant directly before a final /s/, add a silent e marker (everything but a short vowel). mice, sense 100    
24. In a vowel position, /er/ is most often spelled with er. fern, letter 78 bird, dollar 11, 11
25. In an accented syllable, as in the final sound in star, spell with ar. tar, tardy 99 seminary 1
26. In an accented syllable, as in the final sound in for, spell with or. fork, formula 93 course 7
27. Schwa/c/ in an accented closed syllable before a m, n, v, or th, spell with an o. love, mother, front, from 38 pun, run, rum 62
a Rule 3 for an V-e syllable is a composite reliability of the V-e vowels a, i, o, and u. Each individual V-e vowel reliability was 86 percent or better.
b The sound au (austere), aw (paw), and a before l (ball) is a different sound than the short o sound in hot. One produces this sound by opening the mouth, similar to the short o sound with more rounded lips. The sound originally vibrates in the back of the throat and has a deeper guttural sound than short o.
Reproduced with permission from Abbott, M. (2000). Reliable spelling rules within orthographic structures. Elementary School Journal, 101(2), 233-245.

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From “Effects of Traditional Versus Extended Word Study Spelling Instruction on Students’ Orthographic Knowledge,” by Mary Abbott.
Reading Online, www.readingonline.org
Posted October 2001
International Reading Association, Inc.   ISSN 1096-1232