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Five Free Sample of the Spelling Rules

Memorize the spelling of these words through reading them aloud.    No forced memorization and no flashcards are needed when using this Reading Aloud Approach (RAA).  Relax,  look at the way words are spelled, read slowly, and read aloud.  The following 16 pages will teach you to spell 434 words at a time:

First Rule (Teaches 115 Words)

Do we use -ance as in attendance or -ence as in evidence, and why?

Rule: Add -ance when the first part has a meaning: 'attend' + ance

          Add -ence when the first part has no meaning: 'evid' + ence

          word+ance: attend+ance = attendance

          non-word+ence: evid+ence = evidence

Notice that "attend" is a complete word, which can stand alone as a word and has a meaning. But, "evid" is only a part of a word that has no meaning and cannot stand alone as a word.

1) The ending -ance in these 50 words:

Use -ance after these complete words:

Drop the end silent e in these complete words and add -ance:

Keep the c and g hard by using -ance:

Use -ance in these words which undergo some internal changes:

Memorize these exceptions (13 words):

Double the t or d after the short vowel i, and add -ance:

2) The -ence in these 65 words:

Use -ence after a non-word; 'evid' has no meaning:

evid+ence = evidence, confid+ence = confidence,

viol+ence = violence, sil+ence = silence

sci+ence = science, ess+ence = essence

pres+ence = presence, abs+ence = absence

sequ+ence = sequence, frequ+ence = frequency

consequ+ence = consequence, eloqu+ence = eloquence

intellig+ence = intelligence, influ+ence = influence

experi+ence = experience, conveni+ence = convenience

obedi+ence = obedience, disobedi+ence = disobedience

audi+ence = audience, expedi+ence = expedience

pati+ence = patience, impati+ence = impatience

promin+ence = prominence, emin+ence = eminence

abstin+ence = abstinence

compet+ence = competence, incompetence

Use -ence to keep the c and the g soft:

magnificence, innocence, reticence, fluorescence, effervescence, iridescence, incandescence, reminiscence, diligence, convergence, divergence, contingence, indulgence

Use the ending -ence after these five Latin stems:

The Latin stem fer means to bear, as in difference

The Latin stem sist  means to stand, as in persistence

The Latin stem here means to stick, as in coherence

The Latin stem cur means to run, as in occurrence

The Latin stem pond means to promise, as in correspondence

Use -ence in six words after the stem fer; it means to bear:

refer+ence = reference, prefer+ence = reference

differ+ence = difference, confer+ence = conference

infer+ence = inference, transfer+ence = transference

Use -ence after the Latin stem sist; it means to stand:

insist+ence = insistence, persist+ence = persistence

consist+ence = consistence   

Two exceptions: assistance & resistance

Use -ence after the Latin stem here; it means to stick:

cohere+ence = coherence, incoherence

adhere+ence = adherence, inheer+ence= inherence

Use -ence after the Latin stem cur; it means to run:

occur+ence = occurrence, recur+ence = recurrence

concur+ence = concurrence

Double the r and the l in these two words and add -ence:

abhor+ence = abhorrence,

excel+ence= excellence (excell isn't a word)

Memorize these exceptions using -ence after six words:

sent+ence = sentence

depend+ence = dependence, independence

condole+ence = condolence

reside+ence = residence, prude+ence = prudence

Note: The endings -ance and -ence make nouns.

PRACTICE

Fill in the blanks using a or e in each blank:

Use -ance or -ence:

*insist_ nce, persist_nce, consist_nce,

inconsist_ncy, exist_nce, assist_nce, resist_nce,

dist_nce, inst_nce, subst_nce, circumst_nce

*attend_nce, depend_nce, correspond_nce, acquaint_nce,

sent_nce, occurr_nce, recurr_nce, concurr_nce,

abhorr_nce, excell_nce, admitt_nce, ridd_nce

*ignor_nce, insur_nce, assur_nce, endur_nce,

guid_nce, griev_nce, observ_nce, resembl_nce,

resid_nce, prud_nce, condol_nces

*entr_nce, hindr_nce, remembr_nce, abund_nce

mainten_nce, susten_nce, radi_nce, hesit_nce

domin_nce, toler_nce

*brilli_nce, radi_nce, relev_nce, reluct_nce, surveill_nce

Second Rule (Teaches 33 Words)

Do we use -cial as in social or -tial as in substantial, and why?

Rule:   Use -cial after a vowel, like after the vowel o in social

            Use -tial after an n, like after the n in substantial.

Notes:  Vowels are: a, e, i, o, u.     The endings -cial and -tial have the same sound. (33 words)

1) The ending -cial, as in social is in these 12 words:

Because the o is a vowel in social, we use -cial after the o, not -tial:

so+cial = social                        ra+cial = racial

fa+cial = facial                         spe+cial = special

spe+cially = specially               espe+cial = especial

offi+cial = official                    artifi+cial = artificial

superfi+cial = superficial         benifi+cial = beneficial

sacrifi +cial = sacrificial          cru+cial = crucial

2) The -tial after an n, as in substantial and in these 15 words:

Because there is an n in essential, we use -tial after an n, not -cial.

substan+tial = substantial                     essen+tial = essential 

residen+tial = residential                      creden+tial = credential

confiden+tial = confidential                 pruden+tial = prudential

poten+tial = potential                           influen+tial = influential

sequen+tial = sequential                       referen+tial = referential         

exponen+tial = exponential                

consequen+tial = consequential

circumstan+tial = circumstantial

existen+tial = existential, existentialist  

Memorize these two exceptions: financial & initial

3) Memorize these four words with an r:

partial, martial, commercial, controversial

PRACTICE

Fill in the blanks using the endings -cial or -tial:

so_ _ _ _, essen_ _ _ _, spe_ _ _ _,

substan_ _ _ _, creden_ _ _ _, fa_ _ _ _,

residen_ _ _ _, offi_ _ _ _, artifi_ _ _ _,

confiden_ _ _ _, poten_ _ _ _, ra_ _ _ _,

consequen_ _ _ _, cru_ _ _ _, pruden_ _ _ _,

circumstan_ _ _ _, referen_ _ _ _,

benefi_ _ _ _, influen_ _ _ _,

*finan_ _ _ _, *ini_ _ _ _,

par_ _ _ _, mar_ _ _ _, commer_ _ _ _,

controversy > controver_ _ _ _

Third Rule (Teaches 96 Words +)

Do we use -cian as in musician,  -sion as in expression or -tion as in nation?

Rule:   Use -cian in careers or hobbies in 12 words (musician)

            Use -sion in 42 words mainly after ss (express   > expression)

            Use -tion as in nation in all the rest of such words

Note: The three endings, -cian, -sion and -tion sound the same.

1)  -cian, as in musician in 12 words

Use -cian in careers or hobbies. The c is already at the end of these words--just add ian:

music+ian = musician                     magic+ian = magician

electric+ian = electrician               physic+ian = physician

politics+ian = politician                  optic+ian = optician

statistic+ian = statistician              

pediatric+ian = pediatrician

obstetric+ian = obstetrician

mathematics+ian = mathematician

technique (q becomes c, drop ue) + cian = technician

beauty (y becomes i) + cian = beautician

2) The -sion, as in expression in 42 words:

Use -sion after a verb or the stem of a word that ends in ss in these 25 words:

Notice that the first s is silent in these words, as in expression.

express > expression, impress >impression

oppress >oppression, aggress>aggression

depress>depression, repress>repression

egress>egression, congress>congressional

progress >progression, regress>regression

confess>confession, profess>profession

recess>recession, process>procession

success>succession, obsess>obsession

possess>possession, session, percussion

discuss>discussion, concussion

pass>passion>passionate

compass>compassion>compassionate

Use the ending -sion in these 10 words that have mission in them:

mission, intermission, transmission, emission, remission, commission, admission, missionary, permission, submission

Memorize these two words: suspicion & ocean

3) The -tion, as in nation is in the rest of such words:

cooperation, corporation, separation, immigration,

integration, registration, evolution, pollution,

evaluation, motion, emotion, commotion,

promotion, notion, proportion, congratulations,

intervention, action, auction, fiction, fraction,

sanction, induction, deduction, instruction,

perfection, caution, portion, ignition, variation,

partition, vegetation, interpretation, imitation,

audition, edition, tradition, addition, probation, exception,

interception, contradiction, contraception, adoption,

adaptation, superstition, etc.

4) This -sion as in vision has a different sound in 35 words:

Notice that either a vowel or an r always precedes this type of -sion:

• vision, television, revision, supervision, division, decision, incision, precision, collision
• occasion, invasion, evasion, abrasion, explosion, erosion, corrosion
• confusion, diffusion, infusion, transfusion, conclusion, inclusion, exclusion, preclusion, elusion, delusion, intrusion
• version, inversion, subversion, submersion, conversion, immersion, excursion
• lesion, *Persian, *Asian

Fourth Rule (Teaches 72 Words +)

Do we use  -ist as in artist or -est as in smallest, and why?  

Rule:   Use -ist in careers (dentist) and in beliefs (socialist)

            Use -est when comparing three or more things (smallest).

1) The -ist in careers and in beliefs in 72 words:

• specialist, socialist, journalist, capitalist, imperialist, idealist, realist, materialist, existentialist, individualist, environmentalist, fundamentalist, nationalist, finalist, internationalist, novelist

• pianist, humanist, hygienist, machinist, communist, opportunist, Zionist, perfectionist, evolutionist, revolutionist, impressionist, chauvinist, columnist

• druggist, genealogist, dermatologist, gynecologist, cardiologist, neurologist, geologist, psychologist, zoologist, sociologist, anthropologist, archeologist, pathologist

• artist, scientist, dentist, Baptist

• racist, pharmacist, Narcissist, Marxist

• optometrist, psychiatrist, guitarist, humorist

• typist, therapist

• Buddhist, sadist, Methodist

• lobbyist, economist, activist, linguist

2) The -est in comparison:

The -est is used for comparing three or more things.

small, smaller, smallest; cold, colder, coldest

glad, gladder, gladdest; smart, smarter, smartest

short, shorter, shortest; slow, slower, slowest

strong, stronger, strongest; warm, warmer, warmest

deep, deeper, deepest; wide, wider, widest

safe, safer, safest; humble, humbler, humblest

nice, nicer, nicest; free, freer, freest

happy (y becomes i >happi) >happier, happiest

lucky (y becomes i >lucki) >luckier, luckiest

busy ( y becomes i >busi) >busier, busiest

angry (y becomes i >angri) >angrier, angriest

hungry (y becomes i >hungri) >hungrier, hungriest

sleepy (y becomes i >sleppi) >sleepier, sleepiest

cloudy (y becomes i >cloudi) >cloudier, cloudiest

Note: The -ist makes nouns, and the -est makes adjectives.

Fifth Rule (Teaches 64 Words)

Do we use -ege as in college or -age as in cabbage?

Rule: There are four words that end in -ege, and the rest end in -age.

1) The -ege in four words:

college, privilege, sacrilege, cortege

2) The -age in 60 words:

cabbage, garbage, damage, rummage, savage, ravage,

salvage, cleavage, package, linkage, wreckage, blockage,

shrinkage, baggage, luggage, cottage, cottage, heritage,

voltage, footage, frontage, postage, shortage, outage,

hostage, vantage, disadvantage, advantages, advantageous,

courage, discourage, courageous, average, coverage,

leverage, brokerage, hemorrhage, mortgage, forage,

yardage, bandage, adage, manage, drainage, orphanage,

usage, sausage, message, passage, village, cartilage,

roughage, mileage, acreage, voyage, language,

carry (y becomes i)=carriage, carriages, miscarriage

marry (y becomes i) = marriage, marriages

Note: These four words contain a silent d in them:

knowledge, acknowledge, cartridge, edge

Notice that the silent "e" at the end all of the above -age words is there to keep the "g" soft, not to make the "a" long.

The next 10 rules will answer the following questions

1. Do we use -y as in lucky or -ey as in monkey, and why?

2. Do we use f as in font, ph as in telephone or gh as in cough, and why?

3. Do we use k as in keep or the hard c as in acclimate, and why?

4. Do we use the hard c as in cat or the hard ch as in character, and why?

5. Do we use s as in rose or c as in decide, and why?

6. Do we use s as in sell or c as in cell, and why?

7. Do we use ee as in meet or ea as in meat, and why?

8. Do we use the ar as in beggar, the er as in carpenter or the or as in doctor, why?

9. Do we use -cle as in article or -cal as in tactical, and why?

10. Do we use two l's as in cell or one l as in excel, and why?

Important Learning Notes

• No forced memorization or flashcards are needed.  Read ALOUD to memorize the spelling of words. To learn more about the Reading Aloud Approach (RAA), go back and click on the link RAA.

• The Understanding Before Memorization Approach (UBMA): You will naturally learn the correct spelling of words through understanding the reasons as to why words are spelled the way that they are: logic+reading aloud+repetition >memorization

• Read the words associated with a rule immediately after learning a rule.

• The vowels are a, e, i, o, u, sometimes y (sky, happy), sometimes w (few) and sometimes the u is not a vowel but a w (lingual).

• The consonants are the rest of the letters: b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, qu, r, s, t, v, w, x, y, and, z.    

• All words are divided into syllables. A syllable can be a small word (me) or a small part of a word that has one vowel sound in it, as in: (me in media) (go in going) (i in idea) 

• Italic letters in this book mean silent letters, like the silent p in receipt.

• To view the spelling rules online, type lowercase: spellingrules.com

• Use amazon.com to order the book of phonics titled Learn to Spell 500 Words a Day by Camilia Sadik or call McGraw-Hill 1800-338-3987 or e-mail us: spell@spellingrules.com

Note about the Vowels

Each vowel acts as if it were ten or more letters. For instance, the long sound of the vowel "E" acts like 10 letters. There are ten ways to spell the long sound of the vowel "E": ee, ea, e-e, ei, ie, ey, y, e, i, i-e as in these examples:  

• ee (meet) or ea (meat)
• e+consonant+silent e (compete)
• ei (receive) or ie (believe)
• ey (donkey) or y (lucky)
• e (he) or i (bikini)
• i+consonant+e (elite)

The one sound of the long vowel "E" is spelled in ten ways (10 phonics).  Each phonic acts as if it were a new letters that can be added to the English alphabet.  Correct spelling cannot be achieved until each phonic is learned through intense practice.  You need to learn phonics in addition to learning these spelling rules. Such practice of 150 phonics associated with the vowels is available in 367-page  book titled Learn to Spell 500 Words a Day by Camilia Sadik. To learn more about the book, go back and click on the link The Book.

Comment From the Author

• You will memorize best if you don't try to force memorization. Relax and read aloud and learning will occur naturally.  Do not waste your energy trying to memorize. If you read aloud, you will learn to spell 100's of words at a time.

• Some learn within weeks or months after using this method. Some may need less or more time. 

• You need to follow all of the instructions given to you rigorously.   You MUST read aloud for memorization purposes or you will NOT learn the spelling of words.  You will always have all the words associated with every spelling rule grouped and made available for you to read them aloud.

• Learning the phonics made by the vowels requires extra practice.   Such practice is provided in the book titled Learn to Spell 500 Words a Day.  The vowel A, for instance, has four sounds and 11 spelling patterns (11 phonics).  Each sound and each phonic of A is explained and used in practice.  All a stunned needs to do to learn is to read aloud.  Please e-mail us if you have any feedback or any more questions: spell@spellingrules.com

More Spelling Rules

The 100 spelling rules will be made available here online.   Keep visiting this web site to check for more spelling rules. 

You may order the book through amazon.com or call the publisher McGraw-Hill: 1-800- 338-3987.  The ISBN number for the book is: 007-231796-5

To obtain your free copy of the above five rules, visit: spellingrules.com 

For technical support, please e-mail us: spell@spellingrules.com

WARNING

Copyright © 1999 by Camilia Sadik. All rights are reserved.  No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means.

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