Created by Monica Tindall

First Grade Spelling Rules

The alphabet can be divided into vowels and consonants. The vowels are:

i y

The rest of the letters of the alphabet are consonants. Short vowel sounds: /a/ as in apple, /e/ as in egg, /i/ as in igloo, /o/ as in octopus, /u/ as in umbrella A vowel is long when it says its own name. There are different ways to make the long vowel sounds. EG Long a - ay, a_e, ai Long e - ee, ea, e_e, e Long i igh, y, i, i_e Long o - oa, o, o_e Long u ew, oo, u_e Every syllable in a word must have at least one vowel. The letter <c> can make the sounds /k/ or /s/ <c> is never written at the end of a base word If you need the sound /k/ at the end of a word you write <ck> If <c>is followed by <e>, <i> or <y> it makes the sound /s/

The suffix <ed> is always spelled the same whatever it sounds like. EG. Paint + ed = painted <ed> sounds like /id/ Miss + ed = missed <ed> sounds like /t/ Slow + ed = slowed <ed> sounds like /d/

Created by Monica Tindall

Connected spellings can mean connected meanings. EG

ear hear heard here there where two twin twice

You can divide words into prefixes, suffixes and base words. EG.

un
(prefix)

help
(base word)

ful
(suffix)

= unhelpful

Suffixes can be interesting or boring. Interesting suffixes begin with a vowel and have the power to change a base word. Boring suffixes begin with a consonant and dont have the power to change the base word. Interesting suffixes ing es ed er est able ion Boring suffixes less ly ful s ness

No word in English ends with <v>. Write <ve> instead. Avoid writing <uv> in an English word. You must write <ov> instead. EG. love, dove, shove, glove, cover, shovel, above, oven Word webs. EG.
recovery recoveries discovery discoveries

recover recovers recovered recovering recoverable

discover discovers

cover
rediscover rediscovers rediscovered rediscovering

coverage

uncover uncovers uncovered uncovering uncoverable

cover covers covered covering

Created by Monica Tindall

You cant keep <y> in the middle of a word unless you have a good reason. There are only three good reasons. In first grade we know two of them: 1. ay, ey, oy, uy cannot be changed. 2. <i + i> cannot be written together. Singular means only one of something. Plural means more than one. There are two plural suffixes - <s> and <es> If you create an extra syllable when you create the plural add <es>. If the number of syllables stay the same just add <s>. EG. tiger tigers lion lions witch witches fox foxes If a word ends with <o> you will probably have to add <es> EG. mango mangoes Adding a suffix that begins with a vowel can make the consonant before it to double. If the last three letters of the base word are Consonant, Vowel, Consonant and the word is only one syllable, double the last consonant before adding the vowel suffix. EG. get + ing = getting slip + ed = slipped
CVC CVC

last + ing = lasting

(does not double the last three letters are VCC)

Words ending with a single, silent <e>. If a word ends with a single silent <e> and you are adding an interesting (vowel) suffix, cross off the <e> and add the suffix. EG shape + ing shaping shape + ed shaped shape + ly shapely Compound words are made up of two base words that make sense on their own. They combine to make a new meaning related to the two words. Homophones are words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings. EG. to too two there their theyre blue blew

Created by Monica Tindall

These are 100 of the most frequently used words in English. By the end of first grade we would like your child to be able to spell these words correctly in their writing without the use of other resources.

the of and a to in is you that it he for was on are as with his they at be this from I have

or by one had not but what all were when we there can an your which their said if do will each about how up

out them then she many some so these would other into has more her two like him see time could no make than first been

its who now people my made over did down only way find use may water long little very after words called just where most know