Painless Spelling

by Podhaizer, Mary Elizabeth; Morehouse, Hank

• ISBN13: 9780764105678
• ISBN10: 0764105671
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1998-09-01
• Publisher: Barrons Test Prep

Summary

Speaking correctly in English is tougher than it is in most other languages--mainly because so many spelling rules have exceptions. Even so, mastering correct spelling is a fundamental part of education--and here's a book that makes correct spelling painless. Although designed mainly for middle-school students, Painless Spelling can benefit just about anybody who needs to improve spelling skills. Twenty-six easy-to-read chapters begin with a history of English, then go on to analyze sound patterns, diphthongs, homophones, plural endings, compound words, prefixes and suffixes added to base words, and much more. Grasp these ideas about words, and chances are that you'll understand how to spell the words as well. Students are shown how to recognize differences among word endings, for instance, between ion/ian , able/ible or ance/ence. When they reach the final chapter, their spelling skills will be improved many times over--and they'll discover that they had fun getting there!

Table of Contents

Introduction: The History of English	p. vii
Introduction to Letter Patterns	p. 1
Letter Patterns	p. 3
Spelling in English	p. 5
Letter Patterns	p. 23
"Let's Start at the Very Beginning"	p. 35
Three-Letter Words: A Very Good Place to Start	p. 37
Consonant Letter Blends and Digraphs	p. 42
Vowel Sounds	p. 55
Short Vowel Sounds	p. 57
Long Vowel Sounds	p. 67
Odds and Ends	p. 81
Miscellaneous Vowel Sounds	p. 83
"Silent" Letters	p. 88
Homographs and Homophones	p. 94
Syllable Junctures	p. 109
Affixes	p. 111
Syllable Junctures	p. 113
Plurals	p. 122
Simple Prefixes	p. 135
Simple Suffixes	p. 140
Compound Words	p. 161
Compound Interest	p. 163
Derivational Consistency	p. 173
Alternations	p. 175
Changes in Sound	p. 177
Homophonous Endings	p. 189
Same Sound, Different Look	p. 191
Greek and Latin Base Words	p. 213
Family Resemblance	p. 215
Predictable Spelling Changes: Changes in Sight	p. 235
Now You See It, Now You Don't	p. 237
Assimilation Investigation--Meet the Chameleons	p. 241
Index	p. 253
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