5 spelling rules (and exceptions) to improve your English

Summary

In this English with Lucy lesson, Lucy helps students improve their spelling by introducing five key rules and tips. She uses humorous news headlines to illustrate the rules, such as 'I before E except after C' and changing 'Y' to 'I' before suffixes. Lucy also covers exceptions and provides a free PDF with examples and common misspelled words. The lesson concludes with a spelling test for practice.

Takeaways

• 😀 Spelling can be challenging even for native English speakers.
• 📚 English spelling has rules, but there are always exceptions.
• 💡 Learning spelling rules is beneficial despite the help of predictive text and spell checkers.
• 📈 Following the 'I before E except after C' rule helps with many words, but remember the exceptions like 'weird'.
• 🔤 When a word ends in a consonant + Y, change Y to I before adding a suffix, unless it ends in a vowel + Y.
• 🔄 Double the final consonant in a CVC pattern word when adding a suffix starting with a vowel.
• 🚫 Drop the final E when adding a suffix that begins with a vowel, but not always with consonants.
• 📖 A silent E at the end of a word can change the vowel's pronunciation to its alphabet name.
• 🇬🇧🇺🇸 Be aware of differences between British and American English spelling.
• 📝 Practice spelling with the provided test and check your results against the given answers.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the lesson presented in the script?

The main topic of the lesson is English spelling, with a focus on rules and tips to improve spelling accuracy.

What is the first spelling rule introduced in the lesson?

The first spelling rule introduced is 'I before E except after C,' which helps determine the order of the letters I and E in words.

Can you provide an example of an exception to the 'I before E except after C' rule?

Yes, the words 'weird' and 'scientist' are exceptions to the rule, as they are spelled 'EI' despite the rule suggesting 'I before E.'

What is the second spelling rule discussed in the script?

The second rule is about changing the letter 'Y' to 'I' when adding a suffix to a word that ends in a consonant followed by 'Y'.

How does the rule regarding the letter 'Y' apply to the word 'butterfly'?

For the word 'butterfly,' the 'Y' is changed to 'I' before adding the plural suffix '-ES,' resulting in 'butterflies.'

What is the third spelling rule presented in the script?

The third rule is about doubling the final consonant of a word that ends in consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) pattern before adding a suffix that begins with a vowel.

Can you give an example of a word where the final consonant is doubled according to the third rule?

Yes, in the word 'run,' the final 'n' is doubled to 'nn' when forming the past participle 'runner' or the past tense 'ran.'

What is the fourth spelling rule covered in the script?

The fourth rule is about dropping the final 'E' when adding a suffix that begins with a vowel to a word.

Is there an exception to the rule of dropping the final 'E' before adding a vowel suffix?

Yes, there are exceptions. For example, the word 'argue' becomes 'argument' without dropping the 'E,' which is a common mistake.

What is the fifth spelling rule explained in the script?

The fifth rule is about the pronunciation change caused by a silent 'E' at the end of a word, which affects the short vowel sound in CVC patterns.

How does the silent 'E' affect the pronunciation of the word 'hat'?

The silent 'E' at the end of 'hat' changes the short 'a' sound to a long 'a' sound, as in 'hate.'

What are some additional tips provided in the script to improve spelling?

Additional tips include learning common consonant clusters and being aware of differences between American and British English spelling.

How can learners access more examples and exceptions to the spelling rules discussed?

Learners can access more examples and exceptions by downloading the free PDF provided by the instructor, which is linked in the description box of the video.

What is the purpose of the spelling test at the end of the script?

The spelling test is designed to help learners practice and reinforce the spelling rules covered in the lesson.