ACADEMIC STUDIES

ENGLISH

Support Materials and Exercises

for

SPELLING STRATEGIES

(A 20 WEEK PROGRAMME)

FALL 1998
 SPELLING STRATEGIES

ACADEMIC ENGLISH

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The following persons have contributed to the development of this learning material:

Content and Structure:

Curriculum Developer(s)

Leslie Childs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . English Curriculum Content Expert

New Brunswick Community College . . . . . . . . . . Bathurst

Project Supervision/Co-ordination:

Angela Acott-Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . Project Co-ordinator

New Brunswick Community College . . . . . . . Woodstock

Kay Curtis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Literacy Co-ordinator

New Brunswick Community College . . . . . . . Woodstock

This document is available on the World Wide Web thanks to

the National Adult Literacy Database.

http://www.nald.ca/CLR/search/

The financial support for this learning materials project was provided by
the National Literacy Secretariat of Human Resources Development Canada.

Fall 1998
This support module may be used with BAU-ENG 6.6, Spelling, and IAU-ENG
2.2, Spelling Review5.

BAU-ENG 6.6 SPELLING

OBJECTIVE
Upon successful completion of this unit, the learner will be able to
1. spell correctly words appropriate to his/her reading level.
2. employ spelling strategies appropriate to his/her learning style.
TEACHING POINTS Level

Spelling Rules 1 “i” before “e” 5/6

2 double consonants before suffixes starting with vowels 5/6

3 silent “e” 5/6

4 American/Canadian spelling 5/6

Plurals 5 plurals (including regular and irregular forms) 3/4

Contractions 6 e.g. they’re, they’ve. you’re, won’t, etc. 3/4

Homonyms 7 exact (e.g. piece, peace; here, hear; principal, principle) 5/6

8 near (e.g. advice, advise; effect, affect) 5/6

Spelling Strategies 9 syllibication 1/2

10 phonetic analysis 1/2

11 tactile practice 1/2

12 written and oral drill 1/2

13 structural analysis 1/2

14 mnemonics 3/4

15 visualization 3/4

16 flash cards 3/4

17 dictionary search 3/4

18 common irregularly spelled words (e.g. weird, a lot, etc.) 3/4

19 computer spell checkers 5/6

20 personal spelling lists all

Note: Spelling is an ongoing concern. All learners, regardless of level, should maintain a personal spelling list.

Note:Spelling practice should be part of every learner’s day.

IAU-ENG 2.2 SPELLING REVIEW

OBJECTIVES
Upon successful completion of this unit, the learner will be able to
1. spell correctly words appropriate to functional literacy levels.
2. employ spelling strategies appropriate to his/her learning style.

TEACHING POINTS Level

Spelling Rules 1 “i” before “e” 7/8

2 Doubled consonants before suffixes starting with vowels 7
3 Silent “e” 7
4 American/Canadian spelling 7
Plurals 5 singular and plural (including irregular plurals) 7
Contractions 6 e.g. they’re, they’ve, won’t 7
Homonyms 7 Exact (e.g. piece, peace; here, hear; principal, principle) 7
8 Near (e.g. advice, advise; effect, affect) 8
Hyphenation 9 When to hyphenate 8/9
Spelling Strategies 10 Syllibication 7/8
11 Mnemonics 7/8
12 Visualization (anecdotal and shape) 7/8
13 Tactile practice 7/8
14 Flash cards 7/8
15 Phonetic and structural generalizations 7/8
16 Written drill 7/8
17 Dictionary Search 7/8
18 Common irregularly spelled words (e.g. weird, a lot, etc.) 7/8
19 Computer “spell-checkers 9
20 Personal spelling lists 7/8/9
Note: Most basic spelling errors should be eliminated early in IAU (by the end of Level 7). The focus, therefore,
for th majority of IAU should be on identifying and correcting individual spelling problems. Encourage
learners to try the spelling strategies above (or create their own) until they find those which work for them.
Every learner should create a personal spelling list based on mistakes in their writing and on new vocabulary
words they wish to learn.
NOTE TO FACILITATORS AND LEARNERS:

1. The Spelling Strategies module presents information and exercises to accompany the
objectives of BAU-ENG 6.6, Spelling and IAU-ENG 2.2, Spelling Review.

2. Learners , regardless of level, should complete the twenty week programme.

3. Facilitators are free to use any support materials appropriate to their learners’ needs.

4. Additional resource materials and practice may be required for those wanting more
information on this topic or for those needing more practice mastering certain areas.

5. Alternate support materials may be appropriate.

6. Once learners have completed the twenty week spelling programme, they should continue
to develop their spelling skills throughout the rest of the programme by creating their own
Personal Spelling Lists and particpating in personalized weekly spelling tests, based on
these lists.

7. Learners should write a weekly spelling test based on the Word List and their Personal
Spelling Lists.

8 The “pre-test” provided at the end of this module is intended to help learners determine
for themselves when they are ready for the final evaluation. It is not a “final test”.

9. Although specific strategies are presented in association with specific word lists, this in no
way implies that these are the best, or only, way to learn these words.

10. Learners may choose to give themselves a pre-test before working on a lesson in order to
identify the words that they need to learn.

11. Learners should be aware that a final mark of 90%, or better, indicates that they have
achieved their goal of becoming a “better” speller.

12. Learners should recognize that the best test of their spelling abilities is in their day to day
written work.

13. Weekly spelling tests should be marked and recorded for later use as a classmark for this
module.

14. Facilitators may also mark practice exercises and record the weekly results towards a final
class mark.

15. Do NOT write in this module. Please make your notes and complete the exercises in your
own notebooks so that other learners may also use this booklet.
TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

THE CHAOS OF SPELLING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

HOW TO USE THIS MODULE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

WEEK 1 - VOWELS “E” AND “I” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

1. Spelling List
2. Spelling Strategy
3. Spelling Practice

WEEK 2 - SYLLABICATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

WEEK 3 - VOWEL COMBINATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

WEEK 4 - SUFFIXES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

WEEK 5 - MNEMONICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

WEEK 6 - PLURALS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

WEEK 7 - LEARNING STYLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

WEEK 8 - LETTER COMBINATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

WEEK 9 - PRONUNCIATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

WEEK 10- PRONUNCIATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

WEEK 11- INDEPENDENT LEARNING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

WEEK 12- SILENT “E” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

WEEK 13- SYNONYMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

WEEK 14- CHANGE “Y” TO “I” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

WEEK 15- HOMONYMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

WEEK 16- FLASH CARDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

WEEK 17- STUDY METHODS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

TABLE OF CONTENTS (cont.)

WEEK 18- VISUAL LEARNING STRATEGIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

WEEK 19- COMPUTER “SPELL CHECKERS” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

WEEK 20- COMMONLY MISSPELLED WORDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

PERSONAL SPELLING LIST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

PERSONAL RECORD SHEET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

WORKS CITED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

FEEDBACK FORM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
 1

SPELLING
INTRODUCTION

Spelling accurately isn’t as difficult as many people think. You have already
learned how to spell hundreds of words correctly. Now all you have to do is
identify and master the ones you have trouble with. The words you will learn in this
spelling program are those that many people have trouble with.

Do you consider yourself a “good” speller or a “bad” speller?

In reality, there is no such thing as “good” or “bad” when it comes to

spelling. Everyone can learn to spell accurately! Have you ever noticed that some
people don’t have to work very hard to learn how to spell new words correctly
while others seem to have a lot of difficulty. That’s because people learn
differently. Maybe the methods you used in the past weren’t the ones that suited
your learning style. This module presents a variety of learning strategies. Try each
one conscientiously or invent your own, but do not give up until you have found one
(or more) that works for you. Make up your mind that you can learn how to spell
and then follow the weekly lessons in this module carefully. You should soon see a
great improvement in your written work.

“Does spelling matter?” Many people say no, but I

disagree. Some people think that bad spelling makes you
seem stupid. People who say it’s not important often point
out that many brilliant people are lousy spellers.
Bad spelling makes you look lazy. That’s my opinion
on the subject. It’s true that some geniuses can’t spell, but
some geniuses walk around with gravy stains on their shirts.
That’s what bad spelling seems like to me: a big, obvious
gravy stain in the middle of your writing.
If you wouldn’t wear stained, smelly clothing, you
shouldn’t be content to have misspelled words all over your
letters, stories, or Web pages.
 2

Here’s another opinion about spelling.

To an employer, any employee is more valuable if
he or she is able to write correctly and clearly. No one
can advance very far in a career without the ability to
construct understandable sentences. It’s that simple.
Fairly or unfairly, employers and others will judge your
intelligence and ability on the basis of your use of English.
...That’s the bad news. The good news is that anyone
who wants to can achieve the standards of written English
that are acceptable everywhere.(Norton p vii)

When your words are read by people who don’t know you and who will
never see you, your writing represents you. People judge you and your abilities on
the written words they see. If readers find a spelling mistake in your work, their
first thought is often, “I know how to spell this word and the writer doesn’t. I guess
I must be smarter than the writer... and if the writer has spelled this word wrong
how many other facts and ideas that he/she is writing about are wrong too.” In
other words, inaccurate spelling takes away from your credibility1.
Here’s a true story. “A college graduate who applied for the position of
Assistant Director of Personnel and was rejected for misspelling the word
personnel....Poor spelling reflects negatively on an employee--and, by association
on the employer as well (Oliu et al. 425).” If you make a mistake on something as
important as a job application, people will think that you are careless in your work
habits too.
As a writer, you have a responsibility to help your readers understand what
you are saying. You must remove any barriers between you and your readers, and
spelling errors create barriers to understanding because they often confuse and slow
the reader down.

Don’t be too concerned about spelling when writing a first draft. Concentrate
instead on what you want to say. Worrying about spelling when you are composing
will distract you from creating a clear message. Do focus on spelling later when you
revise/proofread your work. In fact, it is a good idea to read your work, looking for
spelling mistakes, just before you write a “good” copy.

1
believability
 3

THE CHAOS OF SPELLING

Spelling wasn’t always standardized2 as it is now. If you had lived 600 years
ago, you could have spelled any way you liked. There were no rules. You would
have spelled words phonetically3, but people living in neighbouring towns often
pronounced words quite differently, and as a result they spelled them differently too.
This was very confusing and made it difficult for readers to understand what a writer
had to say. For example, our word “guest” can be found spelled many different
ways at this early period. It was spelled as gest, geste, guests, ghest, or gheste;
and “where” was spelled as wher, whear, wheare, were and whair. “In the same
piece of writing, you find the the author using been, beene, bin and unable to make
up his mind about the suffix “ly”, since he writes aptly, featlye, and neatlie (Winter,
Smith 249).”
When the printing press was invented about 1477, printers realized that if
they wanted to sell lots of books they had to do something about making it easier for
people to read and understand, so they started to standardize grammar and spelling.
Soon, the dialect spoken and written in the East Midlands of England became the
standard form of written English. Writers who did not use the language established
by the printers ran a serious risk of their work not being read or understood. As
more and more people learned how to read and write, it became necessary to create
dictionaries that recorded the acceptable spelling of every word in the English
language. As you learned in Module 1, Dictionary Skills, Samuel Johnson’s
dictionary, published in 1755, helped create the standardize spelling of today.
One unfortunate side effect of standardized spelling is that we now have
many silent letters in English. In the 1500s and 1600s, there were no silent letters;
all words were pronounced as they were spelled. Since then, many words have
changed their pronunciation but the spelling remains as it was four hundred years
ago. The silent letters “k”, “g”, and “w” in words like know, knife, knight, gnome,
wrong, write, and wring used to be pronounced. The “gh” sound in words like
night, fight, and caught were lost about three hundred years ago, but the spelling
hasn’t changed. Some words changed the “gh” sound to “f” as in cough, laugh,
and enough (Winter, Smith 250).

2
Most words now have only one spelling.
3
the way they sounded
 4

Even today, some confusion remains about the correct spelling of some
words. Look at the word pairs below and pick out the correct spelling for each.

1. traveller traveler
2. colour color
3. recognise recognize
4. theatre theater
5. cancellation cancelation
6. paediatrician pediatrician
7. spelt spelled
8. aluminium aluminum
9. hallelujah alleluia
10. learnt learned

Each of the 20 words above is spelled correctly. The words in the left hand
column are acceptable British spelling, and the words in the right hand column are
acceptable American spellings. Most good dictionaries will present both spellings,
but the word printed first is the spelling preferred by the dictionary’s editors. The
Oxford Dictionary is a dictionary of British English, and the Webster’s Dictionary is
a dictionary of American English. Canadian spelling lies somewhere in the middle.
Before you begin this spelling programme, you should decide whether you
favour the American spelling or the British spelling, and then work to standardize
your own work. If you think that “colour” is the correct spelling, then you should
use flavour, savour, labour, behaviour, etc. to make your work consistent. If, on
the other hand, you like the American spelling of color, flavor, etc., then you
should also stick to the American spelling for words like theater, center, and
traveler rather than theatre, centre, and traveller. Whatever your decision, work
towards standardizing your own spelling. In general, it really doesn’t make much
difference which you choose, so long as you are consistent. You should know,
however, that some employers prefer one spelling over another. Follow the
standards set down by your boss.

HOW TO USE THIS MODULE

Did you know most spelling mistakes are found in easy words. In general,
people do not have trouble spelling long, difficult words because they realized that
they were hard and made an extra effort to learn them correctly. This module is
 5

designed to help you find the strategies you need to use to learn how to spell any
new word, at any time.
Many people think that there is only one way to learn how to spell a word
and that is to write it out: ten times, twenty times, or even one hundred times. This
works for some words and for some people, but may be only a waste of time for
others.
People who are “good” spellers report, however, that they use a variety of
techniques to learn the correct spelling. Each lesson in this module presents
different techniques for learning how to spell words.

Spelling strategies can be divided into categories.

1. Some spellings can be remembered by learning a rule, (e.g. “i” before

“e” except after “c”, etc.)
2. Some spelling can be learned phonetically. If you pronounce the word
correctly, you can often spell it correctly..
3. Some spelling can be learned by breaking the word into syllables or
smaller sections.
4 Some words can be learned by using “tricks” that are appropriate to
your learning style.
5. Some spelling words must, unfortunately, be memorized.

Give each spelling strategy an honest try. Decide which ones work for you,
and use them regularly, even in subjects like biology or social studies. If none of
these methods work for you, be creative and invent your own.

1. Be positive about your ability to learn how to spell well.

2. Choose a regular time each week to write your weekly spelling test.
3. Record your weekly scores on a sheet like the one at the end of this module.
4. Complete all of the exercises in your own notebook well before your test day.
5. Your instructor will correct your exercises every week.
6. Always check carefully that you have copied a word correctly in your notes.
7. Start your own PERSONAL SPELLING LIST. Every time you spell a
word incorrectly, no matter what the subject or the circumstance, enter the
word on this list. Then when you do your regular weekly test, add these
“personal” words at the end.
 6

8. Mastery of a spelling word means more than memorizing it for a test. It

means that you can spell that word correctly whenever you need it. To be
sure that you really know how to spell a word that you have entered on your
Personal Spelling List, you must be able to spell it correctly on at least 3
weekly spelling tests in a row.
9. The words that you spell incorrectly on each weekly test should also be
added to your Personal Spelling List. A blank copy of a Personal Spelling
List is provided at the back of this module for you or your instructor to
photocopy.
10. Don’t be discouraged. Look for learning techniques that work for you.

Often the key to learning how to spell a word correctly is as simple as making
a conscious decision that you are going to learn it.
Here’s another true story. A student in a university level journalism class
made a great many spelling mistakes in her first few assignments. When she learned
that she would lose a full letter grade for each spelling error in an assignment, she
started to look up every single word that she wasn’t sure of. She had real
motivation to avoid spelling mistakes. Since looking up all those words took a lot of
time, she soon invented some “tricks” to help her remember how to spell various
words.

One last word of encouragement before you start this Spelling Programme.
Anyone can become an accurate speller if his/her motivation is strong enough.
 7

WEEK 1

U SPELLING LIST
Your instructor will dictate these words to you in one week’s time in the form of a
spelling test. It is your responsibility to study them effectively.

heir weird
deceive review
either patient
priest receipt
height niece
foreign ancient
veil fiery
chief friend
efficient field
convenient weigh

@ SPELLING STRATEGY
One of the most common spelling mistakes in English involves getting the vowels
“e” and “i” in the right order. Sometimes learning a rule is a good learning strategy.
Learn and understand thoroughly how to apply the spelling rule below.

Always write “i” before “e”, unless it comes after “c”,

Or if it says “}” as in “neighbour” and “weigh”

“Always write “i” before “e” means that the most common combination of the
vowels “i” and “e” in English is “ie”, so if you’re not sure which combination to
use, “ie” is a good guess. Look at the following words. They all follow the rule.

belief grief piece brief pier

relieve fierce chief mischief pierce
 8

The little verse above also states that there are two exceptions to the rule. The first
exception “except after “c” means that the vowel combination switches to “ei” after
the letter “c”. Look at the words below. They each use the “ei” combination after
the letter “c”.

receive receipt ceiling deceive perceive

The second exception “when it says “}” as in neighbour or weigh” helps you
remember that when you hear the long “}” vowel sound (like the “}” sound in
“fate”), you should use the “ei” combination. Look at the examples below. What
sound do the vowels “ei” make?

neighbour weight freight veil reign eight vein

Lastly, there a few words that you will need to memorize because they are
exceptions to the exceptions. Memorize the silly sentence below. It contains the
most common ones.

Weird seismic events made the leisurely sheik seize either caffeine,
codeine, or protein to calm his nerves.

O SPELLING PRACTICE
Exercise 1

1. Copy the Spelling List for Week 1 into your notebook. Be sure to check, at
least twice, that you have copied the words correctly.

2. Make a chart like the one on the next page in your notebook, and record each
of this week’s spelling words in the correct column.
 9

“ie” “ei” after”c” “ei” = “A” exceptions exceptions

“ei” “ie”

friend receipt weigh weird ancient

belief neighbour

3. To the chart you have just made, add all the sample words from this week’s
lesson as well.
4. Add all the other “ie” and “ei” words you can think of to this chart. Use a
dictionary to check the spelling or ask your instructor to help you. There’s no
point in learning to spell a word incorrectly.
5. Which column is longest? Why? What conclusion can you come to about
why this is so?
6. You may want to attach a copy of this chart to your Personal Spelling List so
you can enter other words that follow this rule as you find them.

Exercise 2

Write one sentence for each of this week’s spelling words. Your instructor will
correct your work.
 10

Exercise 3

In your notebook, fill in the blanks in the words below, using the “i” before “e”

“i” before “e”

1. fr__nd 5. f__ld
2. p__ce 6. pr__st
3. ch__f 7. sold__r
4. br__f 8. p__r

except after “c”

9. rec__ve 12. perc__ve

10. c__ling 13. dec__ve
11. conc__ted 14. rec__pt

or with the sound “~”

15. h__r 20. fr__ght

16. sl__gh 21. __ght
17. w__gh 22. v__l
18. n__ghbour 23. v__n
19. r__gn 24. r__n

exceptions to the exceptions (use “ei”)

25. w__rd 30. __ther

26. s__smic 31. caff__ne
27. l__sure 32. cod__ne
28. sh__k 33. prot__n
29. s__ze 34. n__ther
 11

Exercise 4

Copy this exercise in your notebook. Pronounce the words in Column A. Then
write the correct spelling of the word in Column B. Finally, record the sound made
be the vowel combination as either long “~” or long “‘” in Column C. The first one
is done for you.

COLUMN A COLUMN B COLUMN C

1. bel i e ve believe sound of ___‘____

2. ch___f ___________ sound of ________
3. v___l ___________ sound of ________
4. sh___ld ___________ sound of ________
5. p___ce ___________ sound of ________
6. n___ghbour ___________ sound of ________
7. v___n ___________ sound of ________
8. fr___ght ___________ sound of ________
9. cash___r ___________ sound of ________
10. th___f ___________ sound of ________
11. r___n ___________ sound of ________
12. w___ghing ___________ sound of ________
13. ach___ve ___________ sound of ________
14. pr____st ___________ sound of ________
15 f___nd ___________ sound of ________

Exercise 5

This exercise reviews the exceptions to the “ie” rule. Study the examples below.

sheik height glacier sufficient either financier

leisure ancient weird deficient neither science
foreign seize caffeine efficient codeine conscience
counterfeit protein fahrenheit receipt heir conceited

1. Copy these words into your notebook in alphabetical order.

 12

2. Now use the words in your list to complete the phrases below. Copy the
completed phrase into your notebook. If possible try to spell the missing
word correctly without looking at the list.

1. L eisure time 2. N__________ Tom nor Dick

2. An e___________system 4. Guilty c______________

5. S____________ funds 6. H__________ of a tree

7. C______________ money 8. Wealthy f_____________

9. F___________ country 10. Prehistoric g___________

11. A s_________ class 12. W_______ sounds in the night

13. Dec___________ coffee 14. S__________ of the desert

15. Degrees above f__________ 16. Income tax re__________

17. H___ to the throne 18. A con_____ed person

 13

WEEK 2

U SPELLING LIST
embarrass hemorrhage
government environment
carburetor laboratory
aluminium maintenance
oxygen perseverance
pneumonia pronunciation
temperature Wednesday
February superintendent
secretary restaurant
psychiatrist psychology
opportunity disastrous
desperate separate
genuine guarantee
exhilaration congratulations
jewellery performance

@ SPELLING STRATEGY
1. Learning to divide a word into syllables may help you to pronounce the word
correctly and, as a result, help you to spell it correctly. A syllable is one or
more letters pronounced together (e.g. Ca-na-da, A-mer-i-ca). Usually each
syllable contains one or more vowels. A single consonant is usually
pronounced with the vowel that follows it (be-gin). Double consonants
usually are divided so that one goes with the preceding vowel and one with
the following vowel (let-ter). The rules for division of English words into
syllables are complicated, but the dictionary for the correct syllabication.

2. Another way to learn a long or difficult word is to split them into shorter more
meaningful sections. Take the word Saskatchewan, for example. Very few
 14

people in Canada can spell this word correctly. Break it into smaller parts.
Sask - at - chew - an. Or how about New Brunswick’s capital city? Fred -
eric - ton. Can you see smaller words inside the longer word. Often
remembering the smaller word within the larger word will provide the key to
remembering the correct spelling.

O SPELLING PRACTICE
Exercise 1

1. Copy this week’s words into your notebook.

2. Break each word into syllables or meaningful sections, whichever seems best.
3. Write the syllables or sections beside each list words. (e.g. em...barr...ass)
4. Use this to help you learn this week’s words.
5 . Then test how well this strategy worked for you by having a classmate or a
friend dictate the list to you before the actual test.

Exercise 2

In your notebook, complete the sentences below with the correct spelling. Many of
the sentences contain ”hints” that may help you. Try to remember the hints.

1. He blushed with emb______ment. (What do the 2 missing syllables sound like?)

2. His _______ary typed the letter in secret.

3. The will be wed on W______esday.

4. That nun’s pro_____ciation of Latin is perfect.

5. Take advantage of our ten dollar main_____ance check.

 15

6. He labored4 for years in the ______atory to find a cure.

7. If you score a par on this golf course, you are in a sep_____ate category.

8. The ten dents in your car occurred in the superin_____’s garage.

9. Make an appointment with the ________iastrist or the _________ologist.

10. In case of an emergency, _____gen masks will drop in front of you.

11. If you get your feet wet, you may catch _____monia.

12. This belt is made from _____ine snake skin.

13. He received gover_____ent loans for $110,000.

14. Are you leaving in Feb_____ary5?

15. I am grateful for your con______ulations.

Exercise 3

Break the rest of the words in this week’s lesson in shorter sections or syllables to
help you learn them more easily. If possible, make a “clue sentence” to help you
remember the harder parts of the word.

carburetor aluminium
temperature opportunity
desperate exhilaration
jewellery hemhorrhage
environment perseverance
restaurant disastrous
guarantee performance

4
You have to use the American spelling of “labor” to make this clue work.
5
The first two words in this clue can be read as the missing letters “r” and “u”.
 16

WEEK 3

U SPELLING LIST
panicky * skiing
trafficking* condemn
mimicked* desperate
colicky* development
shellacked* thorough
publicity through
accommodate lieutenant
ecstasy sergeant
Britain pamphlet
prejudice mischievous

@ SPELLING STRATEGY
1. When learning the correct spelling of a word, be sure to identify the part of
the word or the letter combination that may confuse you. For example, many
people have trouble remembering the vowel combination at the end of the
word “Britain”. Is it “ai” or “ia”? Perhaps underlining the troublesome areas
may be enough, but some people find that if they practise writing the word
using a red (or contrasting coloured pen) to highlight problem letter
combinations, they learn more quickly. Some of the words in this week’s
lesson are particularly suited to this spelling strategy. Try it.

2. The letter “c” can sound like k (“hard” c) or like s (“soft” c). The sound of
“c” is always hard k when it is the last letter in a word. The words in this
lesson marked with an asterisk (*) all have root words that end in “hard” c.
When a suffix beginning with “e”, “i”, or “y” is added to a root of words
like “panic”, a “k” is always added first. This is done to maintain the hard
“c” sound found in the root word.
 17

O SPELLING PRACTICE
Exercise 1

1. Copy the words in this week’s lesson into your notebook.

2. Beside each word you have written, rewrite it using some visual cue to highlight
the problem letter combinations.

2. Write sentences for each spelling word. Try to write the list word from memory.

Exercise 2

Fill in the blanks with the correct spelling of one of this week’s list words. Try no
to look back at the spelling list unless you have to.

1. Downhill sk_____ is one of the most popular events at the Winter Olympics.

2. Did you know that in Great Brit_____ apologize is spelled with an “s”?

3. The last two letters in conde_______ follow each other in the alphabet..

4. In the military, a l_________ is ranked higher than a s___________.

5. Children learn by mim_______ things they see around them.

6. Don’t get pan_____ when you see your Visa bill. They made a mistake.

7. Molly and the maid did a th________ cleaning th_____out the entire house.

8. The town sent a pam______ on recycling to every household.

9. The shipwrecked fishermen were des______ly hungry when rescued.

10. Use the “i” before “e” rule to spell the words ________ and _______ from this
week’s spelling list.
 18

11. Were they convicted of tra_______ing in narcotics?

12. There are only three “e”s in the word d_________ment.

Exercise 3

Write a story or essay using as at least ten of the words from this lesson. Make it a
silly story if you like. Studies have shown that the sillier the story, the more likely
you are to remember.
 19

WEEK 4

U SPELLING LIST
equipped equipment
regrettable dependence
excel excellent
previewing residence
controlling kidnapped
witless baggage
preferred preference
compel compelling
occur writing
occurrence rebellion

@ SPELLING STRATEGY
1. Learn and understand how to apply another spelling rule.

When adding an suffix beginning with a vowel (such as -able, -ing,

-ed, or -er), double the final consonant of the root word if.....
1. it ends with a single consonant preceded by a single
vowel.
2. its last syllable is stressed. (Ask your instructor to
demonstrate this concept or check the dictionary.)

A word must have both characteristics for the rule to apply. The rule sounds
complicated but it will be clearer if you take it step by step.

begin + er - ends with a single consonant beginner

- preceded by a single vowel
- stress on last syllable
- double the final consonant
 20

control + ed - ends with a single consonant controlled

- preceded by a single vowel
- stress on last syllable

drop + ing - ends with a single consonant dropping

- preceded by a single vowel
- stress on last syllable
- double the final consonant

BUT

appear + ing - ends with a single consonant appearing

- BUT is preceded by two vowels
- do not double the final consonant

turn + ing - ends with two consonants turning

- do not double the final consonant

open + er - ends with single consonant opener

- preceded by a single vowel
- final syllable not stressed
- do not double the final consonant

Note: For words like equip, quit, and quiz, do not consider the “ui” as a double
consonant but rather as a part of the consonant “q”.

SPELLING STRATEGY(cont’d)

2. Many people make spelling mistakes because they don’t know whether to
double a consonant that comes in the middle of a word. Although there are
exceptions, here’s a tip to make it easier, especially if you listen to the vowel
sound that comes right before the consonant you’re wondering if you should
double.
In general, you can decide whether to double a consonant in the middle of a
 21

word by listening to the vowel sound that precedes it. If the vowel makes a
short sound (as in bãt..., bì t..., b0t..., d4t..., bßt...), the consonant that follows
is often doubled. Check the following words. Pronounce each word,
listening for the vowel sound before the double consonant. Do your hear the
short vowel sounds of ã, ., 0, 4 ,ß before each double consonant?

battle cattle latter rattle

cellar stellar better settle
bitter written glimmer riddle
cotton gobble tomorrow coddle
butter dullard gutter puddle

If the vowel makes a long sound (as in f~te, wr§te, brÇke, cãte), the consonant
that follows is usually single. Check the following words and listen for the
long vowel sound that comes before the single consonant..

cater later relation crater

bite writer criteria Midas
focal foment topaz molar
butane curate cucumber mucus

There are many exceptions to this rule, but it is a good “trick” if you are stuck
and can’t make up your mind whether to double the consonant or not.

O SPELLING PRACTICE
Exercise 1

1. Copy this week’s spelling list into your notebook.

2. Think of at least five more words that also double the final consonant before
adding an ending. Add them to your list.
3. Write 5 words that have short vowel and a doubled consonant in the middle.
4. Write 5 words that have a long vowel and a single consonant in the middle.
5. Now look at the words in this week’s spelling list carefully. Analyse each word
to see whether it follows the rule.
 22

Exercise 2

Write one sentence for each of the words in the spelling list for this lesson. If you
are not sure of the meaning, look the word up in the dictionary. Submit your
sentences to your instructor for marking.

Exercise 3

1. Pay particular attention to the following words Pronounce each pair of words in
dark type. What do you notice about the pronunciation of each? What do you
notice about the spelling of each word when a suffix is added?

root word suffix combined root word suffix combined

refer +ed referred refer +ence reference
prefer +ed preferred prefer +ence preference
confer +ed conferred confer +ence conference
infer +ed inferred infer +ence inference
transfer +ed transferred transfer +ence transference
defer +ed deferred defer +ence deference

2. Use your dictionary to check your pronunciation of each word. In your

notebook, write each pair of words using the phonetic symbols from the
dictionary. What do you notice about the placement of the accent mark (0) in
each pair.

3. Write a sentence that explains in your own words when to double the final
consonant before adding a suffix and when to leave a single consonant before
adding a suffix.
 23

Exercise 4

1. Knowing the difference between the following pairs of words is important.

Consider the words bare (to uncover or expose) and bar (to close or prevent)
when a suffix is added:

Clear cutting of trees bared the landscape.

The guard barred the door so he couldn’t escape.
The dog was baring his teeth in anger
After barring the door against the intruder, he got his gun.

Copy the sentences below into your notebook, supplying the correct word.

1. The prisoner’s back had been _________ and the cell door _____________.
(bared, barred)

2. My sister was ___________an antique chair and _______________ the fruit.

(canning, caning)

3. He _______________at Robin Williams who had ______________ in that

recent television special. (stared, starred)

4. The thrifty workman___________paint from the wood the builder had piled
to be _____________and sent to the dump. (scraped, scrapped)

5. Martha was ____________ because the dog had tracked mud on the floor she
had just finished ____________. (moping, mopping)

6. The _________wife checked her husband’s speech, carefully_______ each

“i” and crossing every “t”. (doting, dotting)

8. The United Nations’ nurses were ___________from village to village with

medications for ___________ the country of measles. (riding, ridding)

9. After the vet fixed the rabbit’s paw, it__________better than we _______.
(hoped, hopped)
 24

10. First, she_________the paint from the toy horse; then she__________the toy
to look like a zebra. (stripped, striped)

Exercise 5

Complete each sentence below by choosing the correct word from the box.

bared-barred hoping-hopping pined-pinned rated- ratted

planed-planned robing-robbing staring-starring
waging-wagging fated-fatted mated-matted

1. The religious leaders are ___________for the ceremony.

2. The carpenter______________the long board.

3. We were________________your plans would change.

4. The dog’s______________tail welcomed us.

5. The gangster said, “You shouldn’t have ____________on me, Bugsy.”

6. In Biblical times, they killed a _____________calf to celebrate the return of

a long lost son.

7. The rabbit was_____________across the lawn.

8. She was_____________at herself in the mirror.

9. He was _________from the nightclub because of his violent behaviour.

10. The loons___________for life and produced many broods of chicks.

11. She_____________the pattern to the cloth.

12. She is___________in a movie about dinosaurs.

 25

13. Police caught them______________a bank.

14. In her grief, she slowly_______________away.

15. The army is_____________war in the western area.

Exercise 6

Some of the words in this exercise double the consonant before adding the suffix;
others don’t. In your notebook, write the correct spelling for each new word.

1. master + ful ______________ 11. prefer + ence ___________

2. remit + ance _____________ 12. equip + ed _____________

3. cancel + ation____________ 13. bat + er________________

4. gas + eous_______________ 14. wit + less_______________

5. occur &ence_____________ 15. admit + ance_____________

6. crochet & ing____________ 16. rip + ing________________

7. endanger & ed___________ 17. ship + ment_____________

8. picket & er______________ 18. bag + age_______________

9. solicit + ing_____________ 19. control + ing_____________

10. unreach + able__________ 20. equal + ed______________

Note: The American spelling for some words in this lesson does not require the
doubling of the final consonant: e.g. traveler, cancelation, equaled, etc. If you prefer
American spelling, check a good dictionary for acceptable spellings. Inform your
instructor of your choice.
 26

WEEK 5

U SPELLING LIST
necessary descendant
occasion address
existence discipline
cemetery exaggerate
academic mathematics
arctic gauge
assassin rhyme
chocolate rhythm
courteous soliloquy
dependent vacuum

@ SPELLING STRATEGY
Many of the words in this week’s list lend themselves to a spelling strategy
called mnemonics. Mnemonics are little stories or mental pictures you create for
yourself and then associate with something you need to remember.
For example, how many “c”s and “s”s does the word “necessary” have? Try
this mnemonic to help you remember. If “c” = ¢ (as in cents) and “s” =$ (as in
dollars), then in order to live well it is necessary to have more “$” than “¢”;
therefore, there is one “c” and two “s”s in “necessary”.
Using the word “occasion” as another example, imagine
that you have been invited to Buckingham Palace to have tea with
the the queen. On such a grand occasion, you can be sure that the
food would be elegant....so you would have only one sardine but at
least two cupcakes to eat, so there is one “s” and two “c”s in “occasion”.
One final example involves the word “cemetery”. To spell this word
correctly, you need to remember that all the vowels are “e”s. Picture yourself in a
spooky graveyard at night. Over every tombstones hovers a ghost squealing
“eeeeeeeee”. To make this work most effectively, you must take a minute to
 27

actually picture yourself in the scene, or else to draw a real picture.

This technique may seem a little frivolous6 but, in fact, its success comes
from the silliness of the stories. The sillier the story you create, the more likely the
mnemonics technique is to work for you. So, go ahead and have a good time with
this strategy. (The sentences in Exercise 2 in Week 2, that contain clues, are also a
form of mnemonics)

O SPELLING PRACTICE
Exercise 1

1. Copy this week’s words into your notebook carefully.

2. For each of the remaining 17 words, create your own mnemonic. You may also
want to create your own mnemonic for the examples given above. Research
proves that mnemonics work best when you create your own rather than using
someone else’s
3. Write a brief explanation or draw a picture bside each list word to explain how
each mnemonic you created works.

Exercise 2

Now use the mnemonics you created to fill in the blanks below with the most
appropriate word from this lesson. Write your answer in your notebook, and try not
to look back at the spelling list as you do this exercise.

1. Our sales clerks must be both pleasant and _____________.

2. Completing a correspondence course requires a lot of self-______________.

3. You can tell the difference between a polka and a samba by the ____________.

6
not serious
 28

4. Hamlet’s ____________ begins, “To be or not to be”.

5. Many Inuit live in the Canada’s far north near the ___________ Ocean.

6. On the _____________ of their 50th anniversary, they had a big party.

7. Good study habits are ________________ for success.

8. The judge sentenced the _________________to life in prison without parole.

9. Sue bought a small ________________ to pick up crumbs in the kitchen.

10. The words cat, hat, and mat ____________ because each ends with the same
sound.

11. Students in _________ Upgrading can register here.

12. She claimed her son as a ____________ on her tax return.

13. Check the oil pressure __________ on your car regularly.

14. His family tree listed all her ______________.

15. Fishermen tend to ______________ the size of the fish they catch.
 29

WEEK 6
This week you will not have a regular list of words. Instead you will complete a
number of exercises that will help you investigate the various ways that English
forms the plurals of some words. Many spelling errors occur because writers are
uncertain about how to form plurals.
At the end of this lesson, your instructor will give you a spelling test on
plurals based on any of the words in the first six lessons.

@ SPELLING STRATEGY
Rule 1:
Most words form their plural by adding “s”.

Rule 2:
Words ending in “s”, “x”, “ch”, “sh” often form their plural by adding “es”.

Compare the plural form of the words below.

barn...barns gas...gases
crate...crates church...churches
horse...horses box...boxes
car...cars mattress...mattresses
channel...channels dish...dishes

O SPELLING PRACTICE
Exercise 1

1. Copy this list into your notebook.

2. Find ten more words that form their plural by adding “s and ten that form their
plural by adding “es”. Add them to your list.
 30

Rule 3:
Some words that end in “f” form their plurals by changing the “f” to “v” before
the ending. Some have irregular plural forms and should be memorized.

Exercise 2

Use both an Oxford and Webster dictionary to find the correct plural forms of these
words. What do you notice? What decision do you have to make? Copy the plural
forms into your notebook.

1. calf 6. elf 11. half 16. knife

2. leaf 7. life 12. loaf 17. self
3. shelf 8. thief 13. wife 18. wolf
4. scarf 9. wharf 14. roof 19.hoof
5. chief 10. mischief 15. cuff 20.brief

Rule 4:
Here’s another rule that will help you create plurals correctly. When the last two
letters of a word are a vowel followed by “y”, keep the letter “y” and add the
ending.

monkey...monkeys boy...boys
donkey...donkeys survey...surveys
play...plays delay...delays
pay...pays (but, paid) buy...buys
day...days guy...guys

Rule 5:
If the last two letters of a word are a consonant followed by “y, the “y” changes to
“i” before the suffix is added.

city...cities study...studies copy...copies

oddity...oddities subsidy...subsidies vanity...vanities
 31

Rule 6:
Nouns ending in “o” usually form their plural by adding “s”.

studio...studios zoo...zoos tatoo...tatoos

ego...egos hippo...hippos kangaroo...kangaroos
piano...pianos silo...silos

There are some exceptions that you should make a special effort to learn.

echo...echoes hero...heroes
potato...potatoes tomato...tomatoes
embargo...embargoes

Rule 7:
A number of other words ending in “o” may form their plurals by adding either “s”
or “es”. When in doubt, check a good dictionary to find the acceptable plural form.

banjo motto buffalo cargo

halo zero tornado

Exercise 3

Find two more examples for each of the rules above. Copy the lists in your book.

Rule 8:
Some words form their plurals in an unusual way. Because English contains many
words borrowed from other languages, these words often form their plurals the way
they did in their language of origin. These irregular plurals must also be learned
thoroughly.

Exercise 4
Use your dictionary to determine the correct spelling of the plurals of the following
words. Write sentences using each of the plural forms of the words below.

crisis* deer father-in-law handful

foot louse formula oasis
 32

ox phenomenon* radius* memorandum

datum* sheep moose fish
vertebra passer-by* parenthesis* octopus*
criterion* alumnus* analysis*

Exercise 5

Try to write the correct plural form (or forms) of each of these words in your
notebook. If you need to, review the rules for forming plurals.

1. birch 11. fax

2. wharf 12. try
3. cargo 13. leech
4. fish 14. criterion
5. reply 15. hoof
6. box 16. radio
7. midwife 17. turkey
8. datum 18. bunny
9. goose 19. mother-in-law
10. crisis 20. ox
 33

WEEK 7

U SPELLING LIST
fascinate hypocrisy
grammar gynecologist
harass incredible
interfere lightning
manoeuvre (maneuver) mysterious
persuade picnicking
professor questionnaire
roommate shining
subtle subtly
surprise technique

@ SPELLING STRATEGY
Experts say that there are three kinds of learners.

Visual learners.................who learn best by seeing,

Auditory learners.............who learn best by hearing,
Kinesthetic learners..........who learn best by doing.

Which kind of learner are you? Think about how you learn most easily.
Can you learn how to fix something by watching a video (visual), or do you need to
get in there and do it yourself by trial and error (kinesthetic)? Could you learn how
to multiply fractions if a friend told how you over the phone (auditory)? Everyone
learns using a combination of these techniques but usually one is more effective. A
lot of your academic success in any subject depends on how accurately you assess
and meet your own personal learning style.
Pay attention to what you do best and how you learned it. Try to remember
something you learned easily and then recall how you learned it. If you’re not sure
about the learning style that suits you best, start paying attention to which kind of
 34

learning methods work for you and which ones don’t bring very good results. Don’t
get impatient. It may take you a while to determine how you learn best.

Strategies for Visual Learners

Have you had success in this spelling programme or other courses by just
looking at the words or reading them? If so, maybe you are a visual learner. A
strategy that often works for visual learners is to make flash cards. Write each
spelling word on a separate card, about the size of a business card, and post them
around your home and work area. Then every time you are making supper, you will
see the correct spelling of the words you are learning that week. Another way to
use flash cards is to put a picture on the reverse side that will remind you of the
spelling word. Then as you walk to school or stand in line at the grocery store, you
can review your words by looking at the picture, spelling the new word, and then
checking your answer on the front of the card.

Strategies for Kinesthetic Learners

Does writing out problem words help? Perhaps you learn kinesthetically, by
doing? Perhaps you can use alphabet blocks or magnetic letters to practice
spelling.
Some people report that they learn how to spell certain words by touch.
Here’s what they do. Some print the word with their finger, tracing each letter on
their forearm. Others write the word with their finger on a piece of sandpaper or
coarse cloth. Still others use their whole arm to write great big letters in the air.
Although these strategies may sound weird, try them if you haven’t already found
some good ones that suit your learning style.

Strategies for Auditory Learners

If you are an auditory learner, you might find that simply reading the letters in
a spelling word aloud will help you remember. Ask a friend to spell the words so
you can hear them. Some people report that “singing” the spelling of hard words
works for them.
As an auditory learner, you might like to try using a tape recorder. Read each
spelling word, followed by its correct spelling (or your biology notes, or your math
formulas), onto audio tape. Then play the tape regularly while you wash the dishes
or drive to school. Here’s a variation: record the spelling lists, leave a blank space
on the tape after every word, and then read the spelling aloud. With this approach,
 35

you can hear the word, then spell it out loud, and then hear the correct spelling
immediately afterwards.. You can play the tape as often as you like.

O SPELLING PRACTICE
Exercise 1

1. Record this week’s spelling list in your notebook.

2. Look at each word carefully. Which ones follow rules you have already learned?
Which ones do you think will give you trouble? Which letter combinations will
be hardest for you?
3. Give yourself a pretest before you start to study this lesson to identify the words
you will have trouble with.

Exercise 2

1. Think about your learning style. What kind of learner do you think you are?
2. Decide on one or more learning strategies that you think might work for you, and
apply it to this week’s words. (If they don’t work, try others)
 36

WEEK 8

U SPELLING LIST
proceed process
secede procedure
supersede procession
recede recession
exceed excessive
intercede intercession*
succeed successive
accede ledger
precede acknowledge
conscious conscience

(*Universities use the term “intersession” spelled with an “s” to designate the
semester between the end of April and the end of June. Intercession, spelled with a
“c” has a different meaning.)

@ SPELLING STRATEGY
1. Some of the words in this week’s lesson contain the sound “seed”. This
sound can be represented by three different letter combinations (cede, ceed,
or sede). Another area of difficulty relates to the longer version of these
words (see right hand column) when the spelling changes with the addition of
a suffix. For example, “recede” becomes “recession” when the suffix is
added. A good strategy to use when dealing with spelling problems like this
is to group words together that have similar letter combinations.

2. A second similar technique is to group new words based on something you

already know. Can you spell “science”? If so, you can spell “conscience”
and with a small change “conscientious”.
 37

O SPELLING PRACTICE
Exercise 1

1. Copy this week’s spelling list into your notebook.

2. Beneath the spelling list, reproduce this chart and fill in the blanks.

words ending in “cede” words ending in “ceed” words ending in “sede”

1. 1. 1.
2. 2.
3. 3.
4.
5.

Exercise 2

1. Arrange the words in the list below in alphabetical order. This will make it
easier for you to identify words with similar letter combinations.
2. Then create lists to group words with similar letter combinations. (Some words
may appear in more than one list.)

acquaintance psychology committee

conscience physician ledge
physics acquire critic
critical commitment acquisition
conscious psychiatry criticism
ledger knowledge acquit
acquittal committed physical
acknowledgement psychic criticize
science conscientious enquire

3. Which words in this week’s list could be grouped together?

4. Review the first seven lessons and find spelling words that could be grouped.
 38

Exercise 3

Fill in the blanks on the next page with an appropriate word from this week’s
lesson. Try to complete the exercise without looking at the list of spelling words.

1. The tide will start to _______________ at 4:30.

2. Do not _______________ 50 kph when driving through Blackville.

3. The letter “w” _____________ the letter “x” in the alphabet.

4. After turning right at the lights, ______________ north for one mile.

5. If Quebec were to __________ from Canada, all Canadians would suffer.

6. John wanted his teacher to ____________ in his dispute with the principal.

7. Prince Charles will ______________ his mother as ruler of Great Britain.

8. The boxer was not ____________ when the referee stopped the fight.

9. His ________________ would not allow him to cheat on the test.

10. Do you know the ___________________ for enlarging photocopies?

Exercise 4

1. Write a sentence to demonstrate the correct use of each of this week’s spelling
words.
2. Without looking at the spelling list, write the five words that end in “cede”, the
three that end in “ceed” and the one that ends in “sede”
 39

WEEK 9

U SPELLING LIST
whether weather
whine wine
which witch
where wear
led lead
loose lose
choose chose
than (comparison) then (time)
gorilla (animal) guerrilla (terrorist)
past (preposition) passed (verb)

@ SPELLING STRATEGY
The words in this week’s lesson are not difficult if you pay attention to their
pronunciation.
Notice the first four pairs of words. Hold your open hand in front of your
mouth. Read each pair of words aloud. Which words caused more air to flow onto
your hand? What conclusion can you come to regarding the “h” that follows the
“w” in the first four words of the left hand column?
Look up the word “lead” in a good dictionary and check the pronunciation.
The word “lead” has two pronunciations, depending on how it is used. If
pronounced to rhyme with “bead”, it means to show the way or to guide. If
pronounced to rhyme with “dead”, it designates the metal.
The word “led”, on the other hand, is used when you mean guiding (or
leading) someone or something at some time in the past.

The lead ore was taken to the smelter.

This path will lead you to safety.

 40

Last year, the Blue Jays led the league in home runs.

Examine the following sentences that demonstrate the meanings of the rest of this
week’s word pairs.

He wore loose clothing. (“loose” - adjective describing the noun “clothing”)

Don’t lose your concentration when walking on a tight rope. (Verb)

He chooses his friends carefully. (Verb in the present tense)

He chose to ignore the rules. (Verb in the past tense)

He is taller than his brother. (Comparison: mnemonic...both “than” &

“compare have “a”s)
Lightning flashed; then, the thunder rolled. (Time: both “then” & “time”
have the letter “e”)

We saw the gorilla in the zoo. (An animal)

The guerrilla tired to overthrow the government. (A soldier)

He passed his final exam. (Verb: meaning “succeeded”)

He passed the truck on the highway. (Verb: meaning “overtook”)
He walked past the store. (Preposition: meaning “beyond”)

O SPELLING PRACTICE
Exercise 1

1. Copy the list of spelling words into your notebook.

2. Write a story using as many of the spelling words as you can.

 41

Exercise 2

Test your knowledge of these word pairs. Write the correct sentences in your
notebook.

1. I don’t know (weather, whether)_______the(weather, whether)_________

(which, witch) __________is moving in from the New England States, will
move (passed, past)______New Brunswick and give us a better spring (than,
then) _____ last year.

2. The environmentalists’ demand for the removal of (lead, led) ________from

gasoline could (lead, led) _______to unemployment in some Canada’s (lead,
led) _________mines.

3. In the (passed, past)_____ , the soliers (choose, chose)_________to ignore the

machine gun attacks made by the (gorillas, guerrillas) ___________.

4. When winds reach more (than, then) ________ 100 kph, (than, then) ______ it is
time to evacuate homes near the ocean.

5. Never wear (loose, lose) _______ clothing when working near farm machinery,
or you may (loose, lose) _________ an arm or a leg.

7. (Which, Witch) _________ (wich, witch) _________ won the prize for the best
Hallowe’en costume?
 42

WEEK 10

U SPELLING LIST
formerly formally
clothes cloths
all ready already
ascent assent
patients patience
residents residence
personal personnel
reality realty
basis bases
adverse averse

@ SPELLING STRATEGY (Part A)

You have probably heard people say, “If you can say it correctly, you can
spell it.” The words in this lesson sound almost the same but not quite. Practise
pronouncing them correctly. Then say the word slowly pronouncing every letter or
sound separately. Now simply write the sounds you hear.

O SPELLING PRACTICE
Exercise 1

1. Copy the spelling list into your notebook.

2. Use your dictionary to discover the correct pronunciation and meaning of each
pair of words.
3. Create a sentence for each word that clearly demonstrates its meaning. Your
instructor will correct your work.
 43

Exercise 2

Use your imagination to create an exercise of your own to help someone who is
having trouble with these words. Once your work has been corrected, exchange it
with a partner.

@ SPELLING STRATEGY (Part B)

The silent “e” rule combined with the sound of the word may help you with
spelling.

1. Short words with long vowel sounds usually end in a silent “e”. (Long vowels
make the same sound as their alphabet name.)

rate cute made

bite pride stride
rope cube huge
Pete dote tribe

2. Short words with a short vowel sound, do not usually end with a silent “e”.

rat cut mad

bit mat tub
pet dot spit

O SPELLING PRACTICE
Exercise 3

Here’s an activity you can use to find out how auditory learning strategies
work for you. Read the first word from the following list of words onto a tape
recorder, then slowly and silently count ten. Next spell the word slowly out loud.
Continue in the same way with the rest of the words.
 44

Then play the tape back and test your spelling and listening skills by using the
blank spaces on the tape to write the word or spell it out loud. Check your spelling
carefully.

fate tub tube

rat bite mat
wade cub cube
mate cloth ride
fat wad abide
bit hat spite
cute rate stripe
rid cut strip
hate clothe bid
 45

WEEK 11

U SPELLING LIST
berry (fruit) bury (funeral)
bore (drill) boar (male pig)
born (given birth to) borne (carried)
a lot (always two words) allot (divide)
seam (in sewing) seem (appear)
root (of a plant) route (road)
stake (wooden peg) steak (cut of meat)
sew (needle & thread) sow (to plant seeds)
so (conjunction) vain (proud)
vein (blood vessel) vane (weather vane)

@ SPELLING STRATEGY
As an adult learner, you are developing independent learning skills. Today’s
employers are interested in hiring employees who are flexible and can learn new
skills easily and quickly. The better able you are to manage your own learning, the
more successful you will be in the workplace.
This week you may choose any spelling strategy or combination of strategies
that works for you.

O SPELLING PRACTICE
Exercise 1

1. Copy this week’s spelling words into your notebook.

2. Use each word in a sentence, and submit your work to your instructor for
marking.
 46

Exercise 2

Write a composition that uses all the words in this lesson. Let your
imagination go and make the story as funny as you like. Underline each spelling
word you used. Your instructor will correct your work.

Contractions
A contraction is a form that combines two or more words, leaving out one or
more letters. An apostrophe is used to show where the letter(s) were dropped.
Contractions are used frequently in speaking and in informal writing (e.g. friendly
letters). They are almost never used in formal or academic writing.

Here is a partial list of common contractions: Look for others in your daily work.

cannot.....can’t will not......won’t

is not......isn’t I will..........I’ll
was not..wasn’t were not.....weren’t
could not....couldn’t I have........I’ve
we are....we’re you are......you’re
they are...they’re who is.......who’s

An apostrophe is also used to represent the missing letters in “o’clock” and

“Hallowe’en.

Caution: Two common mistakes happen when writers confuse the contractions
“they’re”, “you’re”and “who’s” with the words “their” or “there”, “your”,
“whose”. Read the examples below and notice that “they’re”, “you’re”, and
“who’s” can always be replaced by their full forms “they are”, “you are”, and
“whose”.

You’re (You are) lucky to have a good car.

They’re (They are) are going to Minto next week.
Who’s (Who is) responsible for organizing the New Brunswick Day parade.

Your car runs well.

Their family lives in McAdam.
Whose books are these on the table?
 47

They’re always talking about their work when you’re trying to finish your notes.

There is also confusion between “it”s” and “its”. The contraction “it’s” can always
be replaced by its longer form, “it is”.

It’s (It is) funny to watch a cat try to catch its tail.

Exercise 3

Choose the correct word from the brackets. Write the completed sentence in your
notebook.

1. Mark and John always take (they’re, their) dog hunting.

2. Why don’t you tell me where (you’re, your) going?

3. The answers (they’re, their) looking for will be hard to find.

4. (Who’s, Whose) going to arrange that meeting?

5. (You’re, Your) coat is hanging in the closet.

6. Sue knows (who’s, whose) shoes these are.

Exercise 4

Write the correct form of the contraction to replace the underlined words.

1. I have not seen your brother in weeks.

2. Her relatives cannot travel to her wedding in Miramichi.

3. Will you not be glad when summer comes?

4. It is a good to go hiking in the woods.

5. We are never sure how to tie those flies.

 48

6. I have never been so surprised.

7. The students could not find the right location.

Exercise 5
You may choose to write a review test based on any 50 words presented so far.
 49

WEEK 12

U SPELLING LIST
noisy encouragement
apologizing courageous*
annoyance legislator
legislative lovable
residence sensible
manageable* management
outrageous* motivation
argument* changeable*
truly* ninety
ninth* sincerely

@ SPELLING STRATEGY
Here’s another spelling rule that may help you avoid some common mistakes.

For words ending in a silent “e”, the “e” is usually dropped before
suffixes beginning with a vowel.

Study the following examples until you begin to feel comfortable with the rule.

improve + ing.....improving
(drop the silent “e” because the suffix starts with a vowel)

improve + ment...improvement
(keep the silent “e” because the suffix starts with a consonant)

amuse + ed...amused
(drop the “e” because the suffix starts with a vowel)
 50

amuse + ment....amusement
(keep the silent “e” because the suffix begins with a consonant)

Study these examples closely. Do they follow the rule?

lived lively
likable likeness
forcible forceful
user useless

The words marked with an asterisk (*) in this week’s spelling lesson do not
follow the rule. Find the words “ninth”, “truly”, and “argument” in the spelling
list. Each has dropped the silent “e” before adding a suffix that starts with a
consonant. You will need to make a special effort to learn these.

The spelling of the remaining words marked with asterisks (*) can be
explained by looking at their pronunciation. Pronounce each of the words below
and listen to the final sound you hear in each word.

courage encourage outrage

change notice service
manage advantage

The letter “c” can sound like a k (“hard” c) or like s (“soft” c). The letter
“g” can sound like “guh” (“hard” g) or like a “j” (“soft” g),. Which sounds of “c”
and “g” did you hear in each word above? In each case, it was a “soft” sound.
For more information on the hard and soft sounds of “c” and “g” look at this
chart.
 51

Vowel “c” and “g” usually have have “c” and “g” usually have soft
hard sounds before these vowels sounds before these vowels
“A” “c”andy “g”ate -----------
“E” ----------- “c”entre “g”entle
“I” ------------ “c”inder “g”inger
“O” “c”otton “g”old -----------
“U” “c”ute “g”un ------------

The letters “c” and “g’ usually have a hard sound when they are followed by “a”,
“o”, or “u”; they usually have a soft sound if they are followed by an “e”, an “i”. pr
“y”.

The words “manage”, “courage”, “outrage”, “change”, “notice”, “service”,

(and others) end in “ce”or “ge” and have the soft sound of “s” or “j”.

If you follow this week’s spelling rule and remove the silent “e” from words
like “courage” and “notice”(before adding “ous” or “able”), you would have words
in which the “c” or “g” are followed by an “a” or an “o”. The pronunciation of the
word would be forced to change. “Notice” + “able” would become “noticable”
and rhyme with “cable”; “manage” + “able” would become “managable” and would
rhyme “gable” In order to maintain the soft sound in the root word, keep the “e”
before adding the suffix that starts with an “a” or an “o”.

Here is the correct spelling of several words that fall into this category:

manageable advantageous
courageous outrageous
changeable noticeable
serviceable traceable

Note: For the words “likable”, “lovable” and “movable”, Merriam Webster’s
Collegiate Dictionary gives an alternate spelling of “likeable”, “loveable”, and
“moveable”.
 52

O SPELLING PRACTICE
Exercise 1

Copy this weeks spelling words into your notebook. Pay particular attention to the
correct spelling of the words with an asterisk (*).

Exercise 2

Use the rule in this lesson to create the correct spelling for the words on the next
page. Check your answers carefully. If you have even one mistake, review the rule
and do the exercise again.

1. stale+ness 13. illustrate+ed

2. come+ing 14. genuine+ly
3. approve+al 15. senate+or
4. taste+ed 16. opaque+ness
5. hate+ful 17. complete+ly
6. imagine+ary 18. smoke+less
7. time+ing 19. wait+ed
8. one+ness 20. make+ing
9. legislate+or 21. large+ness
10. obscure+ly 22. purpose+ly
11. tame+ing 23. opportune+ly
12. like+ly 24. white+ness

Exercise 3

Record the correct spelling of each word in your notebook. Ask your instructor to
correct your work.

1. desperate+ly 2. rare+ly
3. crackle+ing 4. atone+ment
5. mate+ing 6. apologize+ing
 53

7. encourage+ment 8. change+able
9. desire+able 10. interfere+ence
11. defuse+ible 12. remove+able
13 remove+able 14. notice+able
15 date+able 16. love+able
17. heave+ing 18. continue+ance
19. mange+y 20. noise+y

Exercise 4

Decide whether it is necessary to insert and “e” in the blanks below in order to spell
the word correctly. Enter the correct spelling in your notebook, and then have your
instructor check your work.

1. apologiz___ing 11. bereav___ment

2. encourag___ment 12. mov___able
3. nois___ 13. officiat___ing
4. issu___able 14. valu---ation
5. fam___ous 15. valu___less
6. courag___ous 16. amus___ment
7. servic___able 17. lik___ness
8. tru___ly 18. sincer___ly
9. fleec___y 19. lov___ly
10. admir___able 20. mov___able

Exercise 5

1. In a full sentence, explain why the word “publicity” does not contain a “k” as do
words like “panicky” or “colicky”.
2. In a full sentence, explain why the word “sergeant” needs an “e” after the “g”.
3. Look up the word “sergeant” and “lieutenant” in an American dictionary. What
is the etymology of these words? How is “lieutenant” pronounced in the United
States?
4. Now look up “lieutenant” in the Oxford dictionary. What did you discover about
the pronunciation of the word? Why do you think the difference exists? How
should Canadians pronounce the word? How do they pronounce it?
 54

Exercise 6

The following letter contains twenty spelling mistakes. Write the correct spelling
for each misspelled word in your notebook.

Fly By Night Home Renovations

1234 Snow Street
Sampletown, NB

February 14, 19__.

Dear Mrs. Smith;

This letter is in acknowledgment of your recent phone call.

We sincerly regret that you are not happy with our renovation work. We
apolagize for any annoyence you may have expereinced from the noisey equipment
operating outside your residense until midnight on the nineth of January. In
addition, we also agree that there was a noticable odour in your basment after our
work was completed.
There can be no arguement with your statement, “Your work is aweful. I
would be happier living in a barn next to a highway.”
We will not even attempt to excuse our faulty workmanship. Instead we
would like to meet with you to discuss a managable solution to this problem. You
were indeed both couragous and sensable to have refered your complaints directly
to our president. Once we recieve your complaint in writting, we will be glad to
make the required repairs and ensure that your home is once again liveable and a
credit to the nieghbourhood.

Yours truely,

Jack Brown
 55

WEEK 13

U SPELLING LIST
tragedy tremendous
trial trail
vial vale
vague vicious
unanimous until
valuable villain
excitement pumpkin
equivalent language
ophthalmologist relevant
religious cantaloupe

@ SPELLING STRATEGY
If you know you always have trouble spelling a word (like occurrence), find
two or three synonyms (event, happening, incident, affair, situation). Then use them
rather than taking a chance on spelling “occurrence” incorrectly in a business letter
or on a test.

The Hyphen
The hyphen (-) is really a spelling device. It is often used to join compound words.
Your dictionary will help you if you are not sure whether a word needs a hyphen.

mother-in-law able-bodied X-ray

good-bye old-fashioned head-to-head

A hyphen is also used to join some descriptive phrases if they come before a noun.

a well-known actor a brown-eyed girl

a six-year-old child some soft-spoken words
 56

some out-of-date equipment chocolate-dipped cherries

When the describing words come after the noun, do not use a hyphen.

an actor who is well known a girl with brown eyes

He is six years old. her words were softly spoken
The computer is out of date. They bought cherries dipped in chocolate

You should also use hyphens when writing numbers like these.

twenty-one sixty-eight forty-four

one-third full a two-thirds majority

Watch for hyphenated words as you read. If you are confused, consult a dictionary
or style book.
 57

WEEK 14

U SPELLING LIST
absence amateur
adolescent (person) adolescence (time)
bachelor appropriate
association auxiliary
cafeteria calendar
characteristic correspondence
cylinder curiosity
doesn’t eligible
emphasis envelope
explanation forfeit

@ SPELLING STRATEGY
Here is another spelling rule you may find useful. If the last two letters of a word
are a consonant and “y”, the “y” changes to “i” before adding these suffixes. (s, al,
ed, er, es, ly, ness, etc.)

deny...denies rely...relied
reply...replies cry...cries
deny...denial lazy...laziness
busy...business happy...happiness
forty...fortieth fifty...fifities
costly...costlier mercy...merciful

If the last two letters of a word are a vowel and “y”, just add the suffix.

monkey...monkeys turkey...turkeys
toy...toys fray...frays
 58

O SPELLING PRACTICE
Exercise 1

1. Copy the spelling words into your notebook.

2. Underline the problem area in each word.
2. Decide on a strategy for mastering each word.
4. Create your own practice exercise.

Exercise 2

Write the correct spelling of each word below.

1. gay + ly. _____________________

2. pay + ed_____________________

3. say + ing______________________

4. obey + ing_____________________

5. joy + ful_______________________

6. say + ed_______________________

7. try + al________________________

8. lonely + ness___________________

9. happy +ly______________________

10. enemy + es____________________

11. busy + ness____________________

12. bury + al______________________

 59

13. baby + ish_____________________

14. lay + ing______________________

15. ready + ness___________________

16. annoy + ance__________________

17. copy + ing_____________________

18. lay + ed_______________________

19.key + s________________________

20. sky + s________________________

Exercise 3

Use the information in this week’s spelling strategies to add suffixes to the words
below.

1. (es) enemy___________________

2. (ly) easy____________________

3. (ing) study____________________

4. (ness) busy_____________________

5. (er) carry_____________________

6. (ed) deny_____________________

7. (al) try_______________________

8. (es) family_____________________
 60

9. (ness) happy_____________________

10. (ing) copy______________________

11. (er) lonely_____________________

12. (est) dirty_______________________

13. (ed) fry_________________________

14. (al) bury________________________

Exercise 4

Answer the following questions

1. What is the plural of “emphasis”?

2. What is the difference between “absent” and “absence”?
3. What is the etymology of “amateur”? What does this suggest about its meaning?
4. Create a mnemonic for “cafeteria”
5. What smaller word can you find in “correspondence”?
6. Does “forfeit” follow the “i” before “e” rule?
7. Think of another word that contains the letters “feit”.
8. What is the root word of curiosity? What do you notice?
 61

WEEK 15

U SPELLING LIST
aisle (passageway) isle (island)
altar (place to pray) alter (change)
capital (chief town, excellent) capitol (legislative building)
cite (read aloud) sight (view)
site (location) to (preposition)
two (one plus one) too (also, very)
brake (in a car) break (smash)
canvas (cloth) canvass (solicit)
cereal (breakfast) serial (ongoing)
coarse (thick) course (route, school subject)
colonel (officer) kernel (grain, corn)
council (group) counsel (advise)
compliment (praise) complement (complete)
dyeing (colouring) dying (losing life)
principal (main, chief) principle (theory)

@ SPELLING STRATEGY
This week’s words (and those for the next couple of weeks) are called
homonyms or homophones. They sound the same but are spelled differently. The
trick to learning how to use each one correctly has to do with thinking about the
meaning of the word every time you write it.
Each lesson will contain a spelling tip meant to help you find the best way to
learn to spell these words correctly. Try each one as it is presented and then decide
whether it helps you remember.
Here’s the first tip. Ask a friend or classmate to dictate this week’s spelling
list to you early in the week. Carefully, correct your work and identify the words
that you have spelled incorrectly. Write each problem word out at least 10 times.
Be sure you spell the word silently every time you write it.
 62

Be sure to think about the meaning of the word as you write it..
Do not let yourself to copy the word you are practising from the word above.
Use different coloured pens each time you write the word
Print some of the words you are practising and write others.

A strategy specially useful to the visual learner is called visualization. It is

similar to mnemonics but requires a vivid mental picture. For example, when
writing the word “altar”, you need to remember to use two “a”s to
spell this word. Picture yourself entering a church built like an “A”
frame house. Really see the building, right down to the colour of the
shingles and the kind of flowers lining the walkway to the front door.
In your mind, trace a giant “A” along the roof line. Make sure that you actually
“see” the altar and the “A” frame church.
Write each word in this week’s lesson. Create your own mental picture of the
meaning and then draw it beside the word. Don’t worry if you’re not an artist. This
picture is just for you. Do the same for “alter” but create a different picture, use a
different coloured pen, and print the word.

O SPELLING PRACTICE
Exercise 1

1. Carefully copy the words from this week’s list (along with their meanings) into
your notebook.
2. Create a strong visualization for each word.

Exercise 2

In your notebook, write the correct spelling for the word that best fits in the blanks
below. Work from memory where possible.

1. The bride walked down the _______ on the island called the _________ of
Wight.
 63

2. Do not ________ your plans for my sake.

3. You will find President Clinton in the _______Building in Washington, D.C.

4. The ______ of the hurricane damage on TV made me more sympathetic.

5. Ask the judge if you can ________ the law in this case.

6. ________ thousand dollars is _______ much ______ pay.

7. Check the ______ mechanism on the roller coaster so people won’t ______ their
necks.

8. The crew of the Bluenose III will _______ the city’s businesses to raise funds to
buy _______ for the new sails.

9. Oats is considered to be a _______ crop.

10. They caught that _______ killer last week who was terrorizing Fredericton.

11. Use _______ sand in that cement mixture for the best results.

12. He plans to take a physics _______ at the university.

13. _________ Saunders was the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken.

14. Plant two _________ of corn in each hill.

15. I’ll take your comments as a _______, not an insult.

16. The straw hat ___________________ her vacation wardrobe.

17. She is “______” to see your house once you have finished ________the
curtains.

18. His ________ motivation is greed.

 64

19. The class investigated the ______ of electromagnetic forces.

20. Jack Stewart, who is a member of City ________, will _______ you on how to
prepare your proposal.

21. Can you name the ___________ cities of Canada’s ten provinces and three
territories?

Exercise 3

Choose the correct spelling to fit in each sentence below. Record your answers by
writing the whole sentence in your notebook.

1. The County (Counsel, Council) meets monthly to discuss local issues.

2. What is the (capital, capitol) of New Brunswick?

3. What is your (principle, principal) reason for attending this meeting?

4. You will have to (alter, altar) those pants before you can wear them.

5. Which (coarse, course) of treatment did he follow?

6. He went (to, too) the store (to, too) buy (two, to, too) loaves of bread and a
dozen eggs (two, to, too).

7. That book will (complement, compliment) my course on the Canadian novel.

8. Which (cite, site, sight) did they choose for their new home?

9. Maria made a new (altar, alter) cloth for her church.

10. He is (dyeing, dying) to meet you.

 65

WEEK 16

U SPELLING LIST
spaghetti lasagna*
broccoli sandwich
cheddar bologna
produce (vegetables) asparagus
mozzarella cinnamon
pasteurized homogenized
yogurt mussels
zucchini tomato (es)
potato (es) salmon
lobster casserole

(lasagna - the completed casserole)

(lasagne - the noodles before they are cooked)

@ SPELLING STRATEGY
This week you can try another visual learning technique. Cut flash cards measuring
approximately 2" by 3" from cardboard or paper. Write each spelling word in large,
bold letters on one side of each card. On the opposite side, draw or paste a picture
that illustrates each word. Make your pictures as ridiculous as you can. You may
even been able to include the problem letter combination as part of your picture.
 66

G
H
SPAGHETTI G
H
G
H
GH GH GH GH GH

O SPELLING PRACTICE
Exercise 1

1. Copy this week’s lesson into your notebook.

2. Make a set of flash cards. You should choose the words that you have had
difficulty learning so far in this programme. Include words from this week’s
lesson or your Personal Spelling List. Be sure that you copy the correct spelling
of the words you are trying to learn onto the card.
3. With a friend or by yourself, use the flashcards at least six or seven times a day.
 67

WEEK 17

U SPELLING LIST
stationery (letters) stationary (not moving)
licence (noun) license (verb)
their (possession) there (location)
they’re (they are) your (possession)
you’re (you are) whose (possession)
who’s (who is) rein (on a horse)
reign (rule) rain
through (preposition) threw (past tense of throw)
carrots (vegetable) carats (weight of a diamond)
straight strait (body of water)

@ SPELLING STRATEGY
One of the most effective methods for learning new material is to review it
regularly, even if the final test is still some time ahead. Give your brain a fair
chance to perform well. Studying does not mean cramming a day or two before the
test. You may be able to memorize the material and answer the questions on the
test, but research shows that material you crammed will be forgotten in a short time.
The purpose of coming back to school is to learn things well enough so that
they belong to you, so that you own them and can uses them whenever you need
them, even if it’s years after you learned it. The way to make things stick in your
head is to review regularly: every day, every week.
 68

O SPELLING PRACTICE
Exercise 1

Use some of your time this week to start reviewing all the words you have seen in
this programme. Use whatever learning strategies work best for you.

Exercise 2

1. Write a separate sentence for each of the twenty words you are learning this
week. Be sure the sentence you create clearly demonstrates its correct use.

2. Submit your sentences for marking by your instructor or a friend whose English
abilities you trust. Then recopy your sentences, leaving a blank space every time
you used a spelling word. You and others in your group can use these to study
from. If you make photocopies first, you can do the exercise more than once.

3. Create a sheet of exercises to go along with this lesson.

4. Once your exercises are 100% correct. Use this sheet to practice your spelling
words before the test. You might like to make several photocopies of this so you
can do the exercise more than once or exchange them with a friend.
 69

WEEK 18

U SPELLING LIST
personal (relating to self) personnel (staff)
advice (noun) advise (verb)
desert (sand) dessert (sweet)
accept (receive) except (excluding)
affect (verb)* effect (noun - result)
corps (group) corpse (dead body)
core (centre) quiet
quite quit
diseased (infected) deceased (dead)
all together (every one) altogether (completely)

@ SPELLING STRATEGY
This week you can experiment with a visual learning strategy. You will need
a partner to help you. Close your eyes and clear your mind. Have your partner
spell the spelling word slowly. Picture each letter on the back of each eye lid as
though it were written in bright white (or coloured) light. Concentrate on really
seeing the word written in your mind’s eye. Then, strange as it may seem, try to
read the letters back to your partner in reverse order. Studies have shown that if
you can read the letters of the word backward from memory, you really do know
how to spell it.
If this doesn’t work, try making flashcards, and review the whole set at least
six or seven times a day. Make sure that you write each letter in clear, dark letters.
When it is time to write your weekly test, clear your mind and focus on
recalling and actually “seeing” a visual picture of the word as it was printed on the
back of your eye lid or on the flash card
You may also want to solidify your learning in this lesson by using a
mnemonic technique.
 70

O SPELLING PRACTICE
Exercise 1

1. Copy the spelling words into your notebook.

2. Be sure to include the meanings for these homonyms.

Exercise 2

1. Write 10 sentences. Each sentence must contain one pair of words from this
week’s lesson.

2. Your instructor should correct your work.

3. Rewrite your sentences, but replace the word pairs with blanks.

4. Exchange your sentences with a friend.

5. Try to complete as many different “exercise sheets” as possible.

Exercise 3 Review

Find and correct the twenty misspelled words in the following passage.

On Wenesday, Febrary 19, scientists from all Canada, accept Saskatchewan

will proceded to a secret cite somewhere in the Artic to discuss the strategies and
principles relating to global warming that are effecting the world’s desserts. The
National Counsel for Economic Developement will present six workshops to
complement the speeches on the causes of increasing world tempratures. The
chemicals witch have been proven to altar the atomic structure of water molecules at
upper elevations and destroy the ozone layer will also be discussed..
Participants are expected to read thier conferrence materials before they
arrive so that their familiar with recent research and will understand that the
problems are not being exagerated. During the final session of the conference, a
survey will be conducted to decide what coarse of action is needed and which
goverment agencies should be refered to for the best advise.
 71

WEEK 19

U SPELLING LIST
Create your own spelling list for this week. Perhaps you have noticed that you
always spell a certain word incorrectly. Maybe you need to learn how to spell some
words from science class. Have a look at your personal spelling list. You can use
this week to clear the words from your personal spelling list, too. You must,
however, have a list of twenty words of your own choosing for this week. Your
instructor will dictate your personalized spelling test to you and record the mark.
Once your spelling list is complete, use any of the strategies that you have
learned during this programme. Challenge yourself to master all the words on your
list.

@ SPELLING STRATEGY
Computer “spell checkers” can be useful tools to help you produce a document
without spelling mistakes. They are easy to use and reliable. Here’s how they
work. When you have completed a piece of writing, “pull down” the Tools Menu
and choose Spell Check. The computer then compares every word you have written
with each word in its dictionary. If it can’t find a match for a word, it highlights it
and reports that you have a spelling error. A list of similarly spelled words appears
on the screen and you choose the word you intended to spell. The computer then
automatically changes the spelling for you. If you have misspelled the word several
times, the computer can change all of the errors at once.
Spell checkers are wonderful tools, but they do have disadvantages. First, the
spell checker doesn’t really know how to spell anything. It is up to the writer to
know the right spelling and then choose it. Secondly, the machine only recognizes
misspelled words. If you wrote “principle” but you intended to write “principal”,
the spell checker won’t help you because it recognizes that both words are spelled
correctly.
Spell checkers can be really useful, however, when you are trying to find a
word that you know you have misspelled. In general, if you type in something that
 72

is close to the correct spelling, the computer will provide you with a list that
includes the correct spelling of the word you want.

For information on how to use a dictionary to find the correct spelling of a

word, review the section in Module 1, Dictionary Skills
 73

WEEK 20
The last few pages of this module contain an alphabetized list of some of the
most commonly misspelled words in the English language. All the words from the
weekly lists are included along with others. Review this list and choose thirty
words you would like to learn. Then apply the spelling strategies that work best for
you as you prepare for the last weekly test in this program.

The final test for this section of the BAU and IAU Academic Upgrading
programme will consist of at least 100 words, chosen at random from anywhere in
this module. Your instructor may also choose twenty additional words taken from
your Personal Spelling List.

In addition, each student is expected to write an essay of at least 250 words

without any spelling mistakes.

Here’s the good news. “In 1923 a lexicographer named G. H. McKnight did a
comprehensive study of how words are used and found that just forty-three words
account for half of all the words in common use, and that just nine account for fully
one quarter of all the words in almost any sample of written English. Those nine
are: and, be, have, it, of, the, to, will, and you. (Bryson 142)”

.
 74

COMMONLY MISSPELLED WORDS

A among available
a lot (two words) analysis B
absence analyse bachelor
absolutely ancient balance
abundance annual bargain
academic answer basically
accept / except apology beginning
accidentally apostrophe belief
accommodate apparatus believe
accompanied apparently benefit
accomplish applies benefitted
accumulate applying bookkeeper
accurate appreciated brilliant
accuse appropriate Britain
achieve approximate bureau
achievement arctic business
acknowledge argument
acquaintance arithmetic C
acquire arrangement cafeteria
across article calendar
address ascend candidate
adolescence ascent capital / capitol
adolescent assassin carburetor
advantageous assistance careful
adverse /averse assistant category
advice /advise association cemetery
advisable athlete censor /censure
aggravate attacked changeable
aisle / isle attendance characteristic
all together/altogether attendant chassis
all ready/already attitude chief
almost audience chocolate
altar / alter authorities choose / chose
although autumn circumstances
amateur auxiliary cite / site / sight
 75

civilization D effect / affect

clothes /close dealt efficient
coarse / course deceive eighth
column decision eligible
coming defence /defense eliminate
commercial deferred elimination
commitment definite embarrass
committed definitely eminent
committee definition emphasize
comparative dependent employee
competitive descend enclosure
complement/ descendant endeavour
compliment describe English
conceivable description enormous
conceive despair entirely
condemn desperate entrance
conference develop envelope
conferred development environment
confidential dictionary equipment
congratulations dining equipped
conqueror disagree equivalent
conscience /conscious disappear especially
conscientious disappoint essential
conscious disastrous eventually
consequently discipline exaggerate
convenience discussed examination
convenient dissatisfied excellence
correspondence distinctly excellent
council /counsel/consul does excitement
courageous doesn’t executive
courteous don’t exercise
critic dormitory exhibition
criticism doughnut exhilaration
criticize dropped existence
curiosity duplicate experience
cylinder E explanation
earliest extraordinary
 76

extremely hydraulic legitimate

F hypocrisy library
familiar I licence / license
fascinate ignorance lightning
February ignorant literature
financial illiterate language
flourish illustration loneliness
foreign imaginary lonely
forfeit imagination loose / lose
fortunately immediate M
forty / fourth immediately magazine
Fredericton immense maintenance
freight imply / infer manageable
friend incidentally manoeuvre / maneuver
fulfill indefinite manufacturer
G independence marriage
gauge indispensable mathematics
generally industrial maybe
genuine inevitable memento
glimpse inquiries merchandise
government inquiry merely
grammar installation metaphor
grandeur intelligence mileage
gratitude intelligent miniature
grievous interesting mischievous
guarantee interfere misspell
guard irresistible mosquito
guidance its / it’s multiplied
gynecologist J mutual
happiness jewellery (jewelry) mysterious
harass journal N
height K naughty
heir knowledge nauseated / nauseous
hemorrhage L necessarily
hindrance laboratory necessary
hoping lead / led neighbours
humour ledger neither
 77

nevertheless permanent psychiatry

ninety permissible psychology
noticeable perseverance purchase
O personal Q
obstacle personnel quality
obvious perspiration quantity
occasion persuade questionnaire
occupied petition quiz
occur phenomenon quizzes
occurred physical R
occurrence physically realtor
official picnicking recede
omitted planed receipt
ophthalmologist planned receive
opinion playwright recognize
opportunity pneumonia recommend
opposition population reference
optimistic positively referred
ordinarily possess regard
organization practical relevant
original precede / proceed religion
outrageous preference repetition
oxygen preferred restaurant
P prejudice revolution
paid preparation rhyme
pamphlet presence rhythm
parallel prevalent ridiculous
paralyze primitive roommate
parentheses principal / principle S
particularly privilege sacrifice
passed / past probably salary
pastime professional Saskatchewan
peculiar professor scarcely
percent prominent scenic
perceive pronounce schedule
perform pronunciation scientific
performance protein secretary
 78

seize transferred
sensual / sensuous tremendous
separate truly
sergeant U
several unanimous
severely unnecessary
shining until
siege urgent
similar use / used
simile usually
sincerely V
society vacuum
soliloquy vague
sophomore valuable
specifically variety
specimen vengeance
speech vicinity
stationary / stationery villain
subtle vicious
subtly W
succeed Wednesday
successfully weird
sufficient whether / weather
superintendent which / witch
supersede whose / who’s
surprise writing
T written
technique Y
temperature yield
tendency you / you’re
than /then
their/ they’re / there
thorough
through
tragedy
trait
transfer
 79

PERSONAL SPELLING LIST

Date Added 1 2 3 Date Mastered

You must spell each word correctly three separate times before you can say you have mastered it.
 80

PERSONAL RECORD SHEET - SPELLING

Week # Actual Mark % Error Analysis Date

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

Week 8

Week 9

Week 10

Week 11

Week 12

Week 13

Week 14

Week 15

Week 16

Week 17

Week 18

Week 19

Week 20

FINAL TEST

Total module
 81

Works Cited

Bryson, Bill. Mother Tongue: The English Language. Toronto: Penguin Books. 1990.

Oliu, Walter E., Charles T. Brusaw, Gerald J. Alred. Writing That Works. Scarborough, ON:
Nelson Canada. 1985

Norton, Sarah, and Brian Green. The Bare Essentials: Form B. 3rd edition. Toronto: Harcourt
Brace Jovanovich. 1993.

Samuels, Joan. Commonly Misspelled Words.

http:w.nhmccd.cc.tx.us/~jsamuels/1301/spelling.htm May 15, 1996.

Winter, E., and R. Smith. Learning to Write. 2nd revised edition. Toronto: The MacMillan
Company of Canada. 1961.
 82

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