Describes how to identify spelling errors and improve spelling skills using features such as lists of commonly misspelled or misused words and crossword puzzles.
"I" before "E" except after "C" You can spell better
Notes:
Originally published: "I" before "E" except after "C." New York : Citadel Press, c2008
Contents:
1. Why spelling matters. Dumb and dumber (or is that dum and dummer?) How bad are your vowel movements? Full disclosure Spelling = success : Reason #1: Poor spelling can damage your reputation ; Reason #2: Poor spelling holds you back in school ; Reason #3: Poor spelling holds you back on the job ; Reason #4: Good spelling enables you to read and think more clearly ; Reason #5: Good spelling enables you to write with precision Cut to the chase 2. So how did English spelling get so screwed up? The welcome (word) wagon "Honey, did you invite the Huns?" Ye olde English Ye olde middle English The big daddy of vowel movements: the great vowel shift Spelling gets even more fickle You're not nuts Don't say we didn't try : Esperanto ; International English spelling day ; The dictionary Cut to the chase 3. Why people mispell words. Invented spelling: a storee for u Sensational spelling Winnie the Pooh Homographs and homophones Which witch is which? You deserve a break today : Joke #1 ; Joke #2 Words are mispronounced Cut to the chase 4. How to learn to spell. Soup's on A method to this madness How's it going? Look for patterns Everyone loves a puzzle Divide and conquer At the zoo Use memory tricks Learn spelling rules You're on Cut to the chase 5. Vowel movement 1: phun with phonics. What are phonics? Overview: sound and sense : Short vowel sounds ; Long vowel sounds ; The schwa Making phonics work for you! Party time Patterns for spelling /a/ : The long /a/ sound ; Long /a/ this a way ; /A/ sort Cut to the chase 6. Vowel movement 2: phonics wirked 4 me. Warm up : Joke #1 ; Joke #2 ; Joke #3 The eyes have it: spelling short /i/ and long /i/ : Eye candy 007: license to spell : Oo la la ; Try it in ink Blend it Diphthongs Revisiting an old friend: the schwa Cut to the chase 7. Vowel movement 3: spelling consonants. Hit the ground running Spelling the sound /k/ : /k/ spelled c ; /k/ spelled cc ; /k/ spelled k or ck ; Try it in ink Spelling the sound /j/ : /j/ spelled j ; /j/ spelled g ; /j/ spelled dge ; You deserve a break Spelling the sound /ch Shaken, not stirred : Find the blend ; Find the word Break dancing : Divide and conquer Cut to the chase 8. Some wicked vowel movements. English spelling: easy words, not-so-easy words, totally infuriating words : Easy words ; Not-so-easy words ; Thorny words ; Totally infuriating words Some letters should be seen but not heard : Words with silent b, c, ch ; Words with silent d, g, h ; Words with silent k, l, m ; Words with silent n, p, s ; Words with silent st, t, th, w Give it a shot Cut to the chase 9. What's with these prefixes and suffixes? Speed and spell Adding prefixes Adding suffixes : Types of suffixes ; Adding suffixes that start with a consonant ; Adding suffixes that start with a vowel ; Quick stretch ; Stretch again ; Words with double vowels ; Words with double consonants ; Try it in ink Cut to the chase 10. Rule your vowel movements. Rule #1: Every word contains at least one vowel Rule #2: Every syllable contains one vowel or vowel sound Rule #3: Q is always followed by a u Rule #4: If the root is a complete word, add -able, and if the root isn't a complete word, add -ible : You're it Rule #5: -cede is more common than -ceed Rule #6: The ending -cian always refers to a person, but -tion and -sion are never used for people : Humorous headlines Rule #7: Use -ist to show "someone who does something" and use -est for superlative adjectives Rule #8: Words that end in -ary are more common than words that end in -ery : Try it in ink Cut to the chase 11. Tight vowel movements: spelling contractions and plurals. Personal spelling Spelling contractions : Mother knows best ; Are you lonesome tonight? Spelling plurals : Forming regular plurals ; Forming plurals with nouns that en
