ā äb ĕ

ē fg ī

j kn ŏ

ō ör s

ūŭyü

w zch

eroi

owsh

sēăf

ŏfŭf

ә

_aUsed at the end of the syllable

in the middle of the word.

a_eUsed in the middle of the syllable.

aiMay NOT be used at the end of English

words. Used in the middle of the syllable.

ayUsed at the end of the base word.

eaUsed in the middle of the syllable.

eiMay NOT be used at the end of English

words. Used in the middle of the syllable.

eyUsed at the end of the base word.

eighUsed at the end of the word or before a T.

aMost commonly used at the end

of the word, after a W, or before an L.

auMay NOT be used at the end of English

words. Used in the middle of the syllable.

aughUsed at the end of the word or before a T.

awMost commonly used at the

end of the word.

b

buUsed at the beginning of the base word.

eUsed in the middle of the syllable.

eaUsed in the middle of the syllable.

_eUsed at the end of the syllable.

e_eUsed in the middle of the syllable.

eaUsed at the beginning of the word,

and both in the middle and at the end of the syllable.

eeUsed both in the middle and

at the end of the syllable.

eiUsed in the middle of the syllable.

eyUsed at the end of the syllable.

iLatin Roots. Used at the end of

the syllable before another vowel.Used at the end of foreign words.

ieUsed in the middle and

at the end of the syllable.

yUsed at the end of

multi-syllable base words.

f

phGreek Roots

g

gu

geHard /g/ before an E.

giHard /g/ before an I.

gyHard /g/ before a Y.

iUsed in the middle of the syllable and at

the end of the syllable.

yLatin and Greek Roots.

Used in the middle of the syllable and at the end of the syllable.

_iUsed at the end of the syllable.

_yMost commonly used at the end of a

one-syllable word. Also used at the end of the syllable in the middle of the word.

i_eUsed in the middle of the syllable.

y_eUsed in the middle of the syllable.

i_ _Long /ī/ before two consonants.

_ighUsed at the end of the word or before a T.

ei

eighUsed at the end of the word or before a T.

j

geSoft /j/ before an E.

giSoft /j/ before an I.

gySoft /j/ before a Y.

dgeUsed only after a single, short vowel.

cUsed before an A, O, U, and

before a consonant. Also used at the end of the word.

kMost commonly used before an E, I, or Y.

Used at the end of the word.

ckUsed only after a single, short vowel.

chGreek Roots

n

gnUsed both at the beginning and the end of a base word.

knUsed only at the beginning

of a base word.

o

oughUsed at the end of the word or before a T.

_oUsed at the end of the syllable.

o_eUsed in the middle of the syllable.

o_ _Long /ō/ before two consonants.

oaUsed in the middle of the syllable.

ouUsed in the middle of the syllable.

owMost commonly used

at the end of the base word.

oughUsed at the end of the word or before a T.

ooUsed in the middle of the syllable.

oeUsed at the end of short words.

o

oo

ewMost commonly used at the end of a base word.

ouUsed in the middle of the syllable.

_uUsed at the end of the syllable.

u_eUsed in the middle of the syllable.

uiUsed in the middle of the syllable.

oe

ough

r

wrUsed at the beginning of a base word.

s

ceSoft /s/ before an E.

ciSoft /s/ before an I.

cySoft /s/ before a Y.

uUsed in the middle of the syllable.

ouMay NOT be used at the end of English

words. Used in the middle of the syllable.

_uUsed at the end of the syllable.

u_eUsed in the middle of the syllable.

ewMost commonly used at the end of a base word.

uUsed in the middle of the syllable.

ooMost commonly used in 4-5 letter words.

w

whUsed at the beginning of the base word.

yUsed at the beginning of the word.

iNever used to spell /y/ at

the beginning of the word.

zAlways used to spell /z/ at the

beginning of the word. Also used in the middle and at the end of the word.

sMost common spelling of /z/, but never

at the beginning of the word.

ch

tchUsed only after a single short or broad vowel.

erMost common spelling of /er/.

ir

ur

ear

oiMay NOT be used at the end of the word.

oyMay be used at the end of the word.

ouMay NOT be used at

the end of English words.

owMay be used both in the middle

and at the end of the word.

oughUsed at the end of the word or before a T.

shUsed at the beginning of the word,

at the end of the syllable, and in the ending -ship.

chFrench Loan Words

tiLatin Roots. Used only at the beginning

of a syllable after the first one.

siLatin Roots. Used only at the beginning

of a syllable after the first one.

ciLatin Roots. Used only at the beginning

of a syllable after the first one.

cei

aughUsed at the end of the word or before a T.

oughUsed at the end of the word or before a T.

oughUsed at the end of the word or before a T.

Lazy OBefore V, TH, M, or N. After W.

Unaccented SyllableAny vowel saying its schwa sound

in an un-accented syllable.

Unaccented WordA small grammatical word where the vowel says its schwa sound when the

word is un-accented in a sentence. For example: a, the, was.

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