Lesson 1: Short Vowels: a, e, i
Spelling Tip:
Short a is spelled a, short e is spelled e and ea, short i is spelled i.
The symbol for short a is /a/. The symbol for short e is /e/. The
symbol for short i is /i/.
Spelling Words
1) animal
2) except
3) distance
4) canyon
5) meadow
6) install
11) method
7) fantastic
12) strict
8) mention
13) grand
9) skill
14) pleasant
10) fraction
15) swimming
Lesson 2: Short Vowels: o, u
Spelling Tip:
The short o sound can be spelled o. The shout o sound can also be
spelled au, aw, oa, and ough. These spellings are called
diagraphs. They have slightly different sounds. The symbols for short
o are /o/ and /Ô/ (for the diagraphs). The short u sound is spelled
with the letter u. The symbol for short u is /u/.
Spelling Words
1) comedy
2) clumsy
3) audience
4) hundred
5) awkward
6) husband
11) modern
7) broad
12) public
8) reluctant
13) auditorium
9) sought
14) understand
10) stumble
15) awning
Lesson 3: Long Vowels: a, e, i
Spelling Tip:
Long a can be spelled a, ai, ay, ea, eigh, and a-consonant-e. The
symbol for long a is /ā/. Long e can be spelled ea, ee, ei, ie,
and y. The symbol for long e is /ē/. Long i can be spelled i, igh, y,
and i-consonant-e. The symbol for long i is /ī/.
Spelling Words
1) behavior
2) maintain
3) display
4) clean
5) freight
6) escape
11) velocity
7) season
12) migrate
8) chimpanzee
13) bright
9) receive
14) reply
10) achieve
15) prize
Lesson 4: Long Vowels: o, u
Spelling Tip:
Long o can be spelled o, oa, ow, and o-consonant-e. The symbol
for long o is /ō/. Long u has two sounds. The /ū/ sound is spelled u
and has a y sound at the beginning of the vowel. The /ü/ sound is
spelled u, ue, ew, oo, ou, u-consonant-e, and ui-consonant-e. The
difference between /ū/ and / ü / is slight.
Spelling Words
1) condominium
2) coast
3) below
4) mole
5) humid
6) studio
11) attitude
7) blue
12) toast
8) drew
13) growth
9) cartoon
14) universe
10) troupe
15) costume
Lesson 5: Consonants Digraphs: ch, ph, sh, th, wh
Spelling Tip:
Consonant digraphs are two or more consonant letters that
together make one specific sound. Say each of the following
consonant digraphs: ch, ph, sh, th, wh.
Spelling Words
1) champion
2) alphabet
3) accomplish
4) athletic
5) wheat
6) check
11) chocolate
7) photo
12) physical
8) finish
13) shudder
9) marathon
14) thousand
10) when
15) wheeze
Lesson 6: Double Consonants
Spelling Tip:
Words with double consonants are often misspelled. Take extra
time to remember how to spell those words.
Spelling Words
1) address
2) afford
3) announcement
4) broccoli
5) college
6) committee
11) mirror
7) community
12) Necessary
8) compassion
13) Possess
9) dilemma
14) Puzzle
10) excellent
15) Recess
Lesson 7: Silent Letters: bt, ck, gu, mn, sc
Spelling Tip:
Sometimes, letter combinations produce silent letters. Say each of
the following letter combinations with silent letters: bt (only the t is
pronounced), ck (only the k is pronounced), gu (only the g is
pronounced), mn (only the n is pronounced), and sc (only the s is
pronounced).
Spelling Words
11) subtle
6) doubt
1) debt
12) science
7) scenic
2) ascend
13) solemn
8) column
3) autumn
14) league
4) guardian
9) intrigue
5) nickel
10) pocket
15) rocket
Lesson 8: Vowel Diphthongs: oi, oy, ou, ow
Spelling Tip:
Vowel diphthongs are combinations of vowels that make a specific
sound. This sound can be identified when comparing the following
spelling words to each other. Some common vowel diphthong
combinations are: oi and oy and ou and ow. The oi and oy
diphthongs share a common sound and ou and ow share a
common sound.
Spelling Words
6) employ
11) house
1) appointment
7) enjoy
12) mountain
2) coil
8) oyster
13) crowd
3) coin
9) royal
14) shower
4) joint
10) cloud
15) tower
5) choice
Lesson 9: r-Controlled Vowels: ar, er, ir, or, ur
Spelling Tip:
The vowels a, e, i, o, and u can all be influenced by the letter r
following them. Words with a vowel+r spelling make their own singlesyllable sounds, with the r sound emphasized more than the vowel.
Spelling Words
1) department
2) determine
3) stir
4) director
5) bureau
6) larger
11) wardrobe
7) pattern
12) serve
8) first
13) inspiration
9) historical
14) humorous
10) disturb
15) urban
Lesson 10: the / / Sound
Spelling Tip:
The / / sound is an unaccented vowel. It can be found in any part
of a word.
Spelling Words
1) exceptional
2) camel
3) castle
4) identical
5) easel
6) dazzle
11) level
7) mineral
12) people
8) label
13) sandal
9) example
14) tunnel
10) original
15) visible
Spelling Tip:
Lesson 11: Words with ci and ti
Sometimes, the letters ci and ti make the /sh/ sound.
Spelling Words
1) ancient
2) immunization
3) commercial
4) infection
5) efficient
6) innovation
11) social
7) especially
12) production
8) introduction
13) sufficient
9) glacier
14) question
10) portion
15) vaccination
Lesson 12: Compound Words
Spelling Tip:
Compound words combine two complete words to
make another word.
Spelling Words
1) backyard
2) birdbath
3) butterfly
4) classmate
5) classroom
6) everybody
11) hummingbird
7) everyone
12) outside
8) everywhere
13) summertime
9) hallway
14) teamwork
10) homeroom
15) wildlife
Lesson 13: Contractions
Spelling Tip:
Contractions are words that apostrophes (‘) substitute letters. Most
contractions are made from forms of the verb to be (such as is and
are); had and have; could, should, and would; not; and the phrase
let us.
Spelling Words
1) it’s
6) could’ve
11) don’t
2) that’s
7) he’d
12) hasn’t
3) there’s
8) she’d
13) mustn’t
4) you’re
9) we’d
14) shouldn’t
5) they’ve
10) doesn’t
15) let’s
Lesson 14: Regular Plurals
Spelling Tip:
• Most plurals are made by adding s to the singular form.
• Words that end consonant+y change the y to i and add es.
• Words that end in vowel+o add s.
• Words that end in consonant+o add es.
• Words ending in f or fe and have the /f/ sound in its plural add s.
• Words that end in f or fe and have the /v/ sound in it is plural
change the f to ve and add s.
Spelling Words
1) letters
2) thousands
3) databases
4) languages
5) cities
6) dictionaries
7) libraries
8) flamingoes
9) studios
10) dominoes
11) volcanoes
12) reefs
13) staffs
14) bookshelves
15) calves
Lesson 15: Irregular Plurals
Spelling Tip:
Some words do not have a regular plural form. These words
must be memorized.
Spelling Words
1) children
2) geese
3) men
4) mice
5) oxen
6) people
11) deer
7) media
12) moose
8) women
13) salmon
9) bass
14) sheep
10) cod
15) trout
Lesson 16: Possessives
Spelling Tip:
Possessives show possession, or ownership. To spell the possessive of
a singular noun, add an apostrophe and an s. To spell the possessive
of plural nouns ending in s, and an apostrophe after the s. If the
plural noun does not end in an s, add both the apostrophe and an s.
Spelling Words
1) coach’s
2) coaches’
3) director’s
4) directors’
5) guide’s
6) guides’
7) player’s
8) players’
9) referee’s
10) referees’
11) roommate’s
12) roommates’
13) student’s
14) students’
15) teeth’s
Lesson 17: Prefixes: pre-, postSpelling Tip:
A prefix is a group of letters that is added to the beginning of a base
word to change its meaning. The prefix pre- means before. The prefix
post- means after.
Spelling Words
1) preamble
2) prearrange
3) precaution
4) precede
5) predate
6) predetermine
11) postdate
7) preface
12) postgraduate
8) preheat
13) postpone
9) prelude
14) postscript
10) preview
15) postwar
Lesson 18: Prefixes: im-, inSpelling Tip:
The prefixes im- and in- both can mean not.
Spelling Words
1) imbalance
2) inaccurate
3) immature
4) inactive
5) immeasurable
6) incapable
11) impolite
7) imperfect
12) indirect
8) inconsiderate
13) improper
9) impossible
14) inexpensive
10) indecisive
15) informal
Lesson 19: Number Prefixes:
Hemi-, semi-, uni-, bi-, triSpelling Tip:
Some prefixes express a specific number or quantity. The prefixes
hemi- and semi- mean half. The prefix uni- means one. The prefix
bi- means two. The prefix tri- means three.
Spelling Words
1) hemisphere
2) hemicycle
3) semiannual
4) semicircle
5) semifinal
6) unicorn
11) bifocals
7) uniform
12) binoculars
8) universe
13) biplane
9) biweekly
14) triangle
10) bicycle
15) tricycle
Lesson 20: Suffixes: -ate, -ive, -ship
Spelling Tip:
A suffix is a group of letter that is added to the end of a base word
to change its meaning. The suffix –ate means the state or quality of.
The suffix –ive means inclined to. The suffix –ship means the state or
quality of or the skill or art of.
Spelling Words
1) activate
2) constructive
3) championship
4) communicate
5) creative
6) friendship
11) impressive
7) considerate
12) leadership
8) effective
13) separate
9) hardship
14) inventive
10) fortunate
15) relationship
Lesson 21: Suffixes: -able, -ible
Spelling Tip:
The suffixes –able and –ible both mean inclined to.
Spelling Words
1) believable
2) comfortable
3) comparable
4) memorable
5) predictable
6) reasonable
11) divisible
7) reliable
12) invincible
8) valuable
13) responsible
9) washable
14) sensible
10) convertible
15) visible
Lesson 22: Suffixes: -ance, -ence, -ant, -ent
Spelling Tip:
The noun suffixes –ance and –ence both mean the state or quality of.
The adjective suffixes –ant and –ent both mean inclined to.
Spelling Words
1) appearance
2) distance
3) entrance
4) performance
5) confidence
6) excellence
11) pleasant
7) independence
12) consistent
8) contestant
13) intelligent
9) hesitant
14) persistent
10) ignorant
15) urgent
Lesson 23: Homophones
Spelling Tip:
Homophones are words that sound exactly the same but are spelled
differently and have different meanings.
Spelling Words
1) leak
2) leek
3) canvas
4) canvass
5) patience
6) patients
11) scene
7) presence
12) seen
8) presents
13) their
9) sail
14) there
10) sale
15) they’re
Lesson 24: Related Words
Spelling Tip:
Some pairings of words are related both in spelling and meaning.
Spelling Words
1) fact
2) factual
3) harmony
4) harmonious
5) human
6) humane
7) major
8) majority
9) muscle
10) muscular
11) nature
12) natural
13) produce
14) production
15) unite
16) unity
Lesson 25: Latin and Greek Roots
Spelling Tip:
Most English words were created and developed from other
languages. Many English words have Latin and Greek roots. Knowing
what the roots mean can help you know what the English word
means.
Spelling Words
1) autobiography
2) autograph
3) automatic
4) megaphone
5) microphone
6) saxophone
11) export
7) symphony
12) import
8) telephone
13) passport
9) telecast
14) portable
10) telescope
15) transport
Lesson 26: Easily Confused Words
Spelling Words
1) access
9) medal
2) excess
10) metal
3) choose
11) personal
4) chose
12) personnel
5) finally
13) recent
6) finely
14) resent
7) later
15) sense
8) latter
16) since