Spelling Bee

Get ready for our bee. Dress like a bee or just wear yellow and black!

Class bee: Friday November 9

School-wide spelling bee: Tuesday November 13

Here is the worksheet we will be working on:

Basic Spelling Rules

1. Remember this poem to decide if a word should be spelled ie or ei:

Put i before e

Except after c

Or when it sounds like a

As in neighbor or neigh.

Examples:	Exceptions:
Mischief Receiver Weight	Weird

2. Sometimes words have silent letters. These follow patterns that can be memorized.

Gn, pn, kn, mn = n	Rh, wr = r	Pt, ght = t	Ps, sc = s	Wh = h

3)



Adding Suffixes

1) When to double final consonant

run + -ing = ____________________  cook + ing = ____________________  

occur + ence = ____________________ transmit + -able = ____________________

Follow these steps to decide if a final consonant needs to be doubled when a suffix or verb ending with a vowel in the beginning is added:

• If the word is one syllable or is stressed on the last syllable (Say the word out loud to determine stress.)

• And has a single final consonant
• And the single final consonant is preceded by a single vowel
• And the suffix begins with a vowel

Then double the final consonant.

Doubling the last letter: Example: Control + able = The stress is on the last syllable - trol There is a single final consonant - l The final consonant has a vowel before it - o The suffix, -able, begins with a vowel Therefore, you double the l before adding the suffix: controllable

Not doubling the last letter: Example: enter + ing = The stress is on the first syllable - en - not the last Therefore, you do not double the final consonant: entering

 
1. sit + ing = ________________  2. submit + able = ________________
3. begin + er = ________________  4. weaken + ed = ________________
5. expel + ing = ________________

2) How to handle a final e when adding a suffix or verb ending.
drive + ing = ________________  exterminate + ion = ________________ love + less = ________________

• If the suffix or verb ending begins with a vowel, drop the final e of the word you are adding the suffix to.

  Examples:	amuse + ing = amusing
  -Ing, ed, able, ity, Ible, est, ive	creative + ity = creativity allege + ing: alleging
  Exceptions – keep the final e:	advantage + ous= advantageous notice + able=noticeable

  
  
  
  • If the suffix or verb ending begins with a consonant, keep the final e.
             -ment, less, ly, ful, like, ship

  Examples:	measure + ment = measurement
  	definite + ly = definitely

  
   
  1. provoke + ing = ________________  2. leisure + ly = ________________
  
  3) Adding suffixes: How to add a suffix or verb ending when a word ends in y.
  
  • If the word has a consonant before the y, change the y to i.
             Example: mercy + less = merciless; happiness, silliest
  
  • If the word has a vowel before the y, keep the y.
             Example: employ + ed = employed; grayness, boyish, flying
  
  4) Adding Prefixes
  The spelling of a word does not change when you add a prefix to it even when the first letter of the word and the last letter of the prefix are the same.
  pre + eminent = ________________
  mis + spelling = ________________
  il + legal = ________________
  fore + word = ________________
  con + notation = ________________
  
  
  
  
  6) How to make nouns plural.

  Ø     Words that end in ss, sh, ch or x add es. Example: switch = switches	Ø     Words that have a consonant before a final y, change the y to i before adding es. Example: summary = summaries	Ø     Most nouns ending in f or fe add s. However, some change the f to v and add s or es. There is no rule to follow here. Examples: belief = beliefs	Ø     Most nouns ending in o add s. However, some add es. There is no rule to follow here. Examples: studio = studios

  
  
  7)
  

  Examples: mis + step = misstep; un + necessary = unnecessary

  
  
  8) Homophones: these are words that sound alike but have different spellings and meanings.
  

  Examples: to, two, too

  
  

Here are some online resources to check out:

Games for review: http://www.wordcentral.com/
Tips for spelling: http://www.spelling-words-well.com/correct-spelling-of-words.html

The official Scripps National Spelling Bee website:
Tips for preparing for a spelling bee: http://internal.spellingbee.com/files/spellingbee.com/How%20to%20Study%20for%20a%20Spelling%20Bee2.pdf
Winning words from the past: http://www.spellingbee.com/champions-and-their-winning-words