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Spelling I before E? Or is it E before I?
This presentation covers commonly misspelled words and knowledge of spelling rules—all of which, unfortunately, have exceptions!
Spelling items on an objective test might look like these. . .
Sample Item 1 Because we were hungary, hungary hungry , we wecouldnot not AA concentrate on the lecture. We will definitely B consult Wanda since she was fuelingher herbrain C with a fruit smoothie. Hungry is Is hungary, definitely, or misspelled, but fueling choice A misspelled? corrects it! A. hungry B. definately C. feuling D. No change is necessary.
Sample Item 2 At the flea market, Harold bought fresh tomatoes, a pair of used jeans, and a stuffed deer head with a broken antler. He considered the shopping trip successfull. A. succesful B. successful C. sucessful D. No change is necessary. Is. Choice successfull B does the job—two. Ifcso, s, misspelled? two which ss, choice but only one l. it? corrects
At many objective exams, you can not use a dictionary! X
When in doubt, rely on “gut” feelings. Your eyes have seen in print — and your brain has registered — all of the possible words that you will encounter for this skill. If you don’t recognize the right answer, go with the one that feels right. Hey, I know that word!
Plurals, Part 1 • Most words become plural by adding s: chickens, books, kites • Use es for words ending in s, sh, x, z, or “soft” ch: beaches, fixes, quizzes To finish his algebra problem , Chadneededtoto problem, s. Chad find his glass. es. Do you like my funky lenses?
Plurals, Part 2 • Words ending in a vowel + o become plural by adding s: rodeos, duos • Words ending in a consonant + o become plural by adding es: tomatoes, heroes Our ears were glued to the radiosasaswe welistenedtoto news about the tornado. es. Take cover!
Plurals, Part 3 • Many words that end in f or fe become plural with ves: leaf leaves, life lives, knife knives • Words that end in ff or ffe become plural with just an s: knockoffs, giraffes Our lilife ves would improve if the giraffes quit eating would improve if the giraffs quit eating the our shrubs. leafslea offves ouroff shrubs. Stop that!
Final Y Words • If you have consonant + final y, change the y to i when you add any suffix except one beginning with i: easy easily, fifty fiftieth, sky skies • If you have vowel + final y, keep the y when you add a suffix: monkeys, toys Chad tryed triedtotosavehis hismoney, but butthe thefleamarket had too many good buys. I’m a sucker for “Buy 3, Get 1 Free”!
Final E Words • If a suffix begins with a vowel, you will usually remove the final e: hope hoping, love loving, participate participating • If a suffix begins with a consonant, you will usually keep the final e: lovely, amusement, hopeful Climbingto tothe thetop topof ofthe themountainwas wastoo challenging, sowe wegaveup upand andwallowedinin challengeing, so discouragement. discouragment. We were so close!
Doubling Final Consonants • If you have a one-syllable word that ends in vowel + consonant, double the consonant when you add a suffix that begins with a vowel or is a y: saddened, swimming, skinny • If you have a multi-syllable word that ends in vowel + consonant — with the accent falling on the last syllable of the root word — double the consonant: admitted, beginner, forbidding
Read this sample: Chad steped stepped a puddle slipped off in ainpuddle andand sliped off the sidewalk. He regreted regretted clumsiness his clumsiness when he spoted spotted mud stain pants. thethe mud stain on on hishis pants. Whoa!
IE/EI Words • Often, i comes before e: belief, chief, review • If the i and e follow c, they usually reverse: cei ling, concei ve, recei ve • E also precedes i if the sound is a long a: ei ght, nei ghbor, wei gh conceited about bulging veins Chad is concieted about thethe bulging viens in in believes that his rippling muscles. He beleives that allall of of the females are admiring his great physique. Let me flex my biceps!
Quick Test Directions: In the items that follow, choose the option that corrects an error in the underlined portion(s). If no error exists, choose “No change is necessary. ” Show me what you know!
Item 1 Carlos hoppedthat hoped thathe he hecaughtall allofof ofthe the AA misspellings ininhis misspellings hisessay, for forhehewantedtoto B receive an AA on on this paper. C A. hoped B. mispellings C. recieve D. No change is necessary.
Item 2 The thievesplannedto tosteal. Mom’sexpensive A jewellry but jewellry jewelry butchangedtheirmindswhenthey BB discovered Big Boy, our Rottweiler, guardingthe C master bedroom. A. theives B. jewelry C. guardding D. No change is necessary.
Item 3 When we told Sheila that her boyfriend Ronnie accompanied Kristinetotoaafancyrestaurant last A B night, Sheila told us to mind our own bussiness business. . CC A. accompanyed B. resterant C. business D. No change is necessary.
Item 4 I don’t mind sharing a dessert with Matthew, but I must insist on a sepparatefork. A. separate B. seperate C. saperate D. No change is necessary.
Item 5 Professor Williams recommendsstuding studying two two A B hours every night; we students wish we had the time but must work to pay for the expensive C textbooks that he requires. A. reccomends B. studying C. espensive D. No change is necessary.
Item 6 All day long, our new puppy Jack sleeps on the rug, but at night, he is possesedby byenergyand bounces off the furniture. A. posessed B. possested C. possessed D. No change is necessary.
Item 7 Ramón wishsthat wishes that the the lovely Belinda would blow A kisses hisway, but buthe heisisalwaysdisappointed. B C A. wishes B. kissess C. dissappointed D. No change is necessary.
Item 8 To please his wife, Robert swept off the roof, even though he found this chore pointless and unnecessary. . unnecessary A. unecessary B. unnecessery C. unneccessary D. No changeisisnecessary.
Item 9 Patrick tried to make Babushka’s potatoe potato AA pancakes, but we found them inedible; everyone B wished he had made simple French fries instead. C A. potato B. ineddible C. frys D. No change is necessary.
Item 10 Look at Jonathan’s face turning red—that boy embarasses easily! A. embarrases B. emmbarasses C. embarrasses D. No change is necessary.
The End.
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