Rules

Words (Words in bold are statutory spellings)

Rule 1

Words with endings that sound like /shuhs/ spelt with -cious

vicious

gracious

spacious

malicious

precious

conscious

delicious

suspicious

atrocious

ferocious

Rule 2

Words with endings that sound like /shuhs/ spelt with –tious or -ious

ambitious

cautious

fictitious

infectious

nutritious

contentious

superstitious

pretentious

anxious

obnoxious

Rule 3

Words with the short vowel sound /I/ spelt with a ‘y’.

symbol

mystery

lyrics

oxygen

symptom

physical

system

typical

crystal

rhythm

Rule 4

Words with the long vowel sound /i/ spelt with y

apply

supply

identify

occupy

multiply

rhyme

cycle

python

hygiene

hyphen

Rule 5

Homophones & near homophones

past

passed

proceed

precede

aisle

isle

aloud

allowed

affect

effect

Rule 6

Homophones & near homophones

farther

father

guessed

guest

heard

herd

led

lead

mourning

morning

Rule 7

Words with 'silent' letters

doubt

lamb

debt

thumb

solemn

autumn

column

knight

knuckle

knot       

Rule 8

Words with 'silent' letters

wrestle

wrapper

island

aisle

debris

mortgage

Christmas

yacht

guarantee

guilty

Rule 9

Modal verbs

can

could

may

might

must

shall

should

will

would

ought

Rule 10

Words ending in ‘ment’

equipment

environment

government

parliament

enjoyment

document

management

movement

replacement

statement

Rule 11

Adverbs of possibility and frequency

certainly

definitely

possibly

perhaps

probably

frequently

often

occasionally

rarely

always

Rule 12

Creating nouns using -ity suffix

community

curiosity

ability

visibility

captivity

activity

eternity

flexibility

possibility

sensitivity

Rule 13

Creating nouns using -ness suffix

happiness

hardness

madness

nastiness

silliness

tidiness

childishness

willingness

carelessness

foolishness

Rule 14

Creating nouns using -ship suffix

membership

ownership

partnership

dictatorship

championship

craftsmanship

fellowship

apprenticeship

citizenship

sponsorship

Rule 15

Homophones & Near Homophones

stationary

stationery

steal

steel

wary

weary

who’s

whose

fate

fete

Rule 16

Homophones & Near Homophones

alter

altar

ascent

assent

bridal

bridle

cereal

serial

compliment

complement

Rule 17

Homophones & Near Homophones

principal

principle

profit

prophet

descent

dissent

desert

dessert

draft

draught

Rule 18

Words with an /or/ sound spelt ‘or’

forty

scorch

absorb

decorate

afford

enormous

category

tornado

according

opportunity

Rule 19

Words with /or/ sound spelt ‘au’

pause

cause

sauce

fraud

launch

author

August

applaud

astronaut

restaurant

Rule 20

Convert nouns or adjectives into verbs using the suffix -ate

pollinate

captivate

activate

motivate

communicate

medicate

elasticate

hyphenate

alienate

validate

Rule 21

Convert nouns or adjectives into verbs using the suffix -ise

criticise

advertise

capitalise

finalise

equalise

fertilise

terrorise

socialise

visualise

vandalise

Rule 22

Convert nouns or adjectives into verbs using the suffix -ify

amplify

solidify

signify

falsify

glorify

notify

testify

purify

intensify

classify

Rule 23

Convert nouns or adjectives into verbs using the suffix -en

blacken

brighten

flatten

lengthen

mistaken

straighten

shorten

thicken

tighten

toughen

Rule 24

Words containing the letter string ‘ough’

though

although

dough

doughnut

through

cough

trough

rough

tough

enough

Rule 25

Words containing the letter string ‘ough’

plough

bough

drought

brought

bought

wrought

thought

ought

borough

thorough

Rule 26

Adverbials of time

yesterday

tomorrow

later

immediately

earlier

eventually

recently

previously

finally

lately

Rule 27

Adverbials of place

nearby

everywhere

nowhere

inside

downstairs

outside

upstairs

underneath

behind

somewhere

Rule 28

Words with an /ear/ sound spelt ‘ere’

sincere

interfere

sphere

adhere

severe

persevere

atmosphere

mere

hemisphere

austere

Rule 29

Unstressed vowels in polysyllabic words

definite

desperate

literate

secretary

stationary

dictionary

Wednesday

familiar

original

animal

Rule 30

Adding verb prefixes de- and re-

deflate

deform

decode

decompose

defuse

recycle

rebuild

rewrite

replace

revisit

Rule 31

Adding verb prefix over-

overthrow

overturn

overslept

overcook

overreact

overtired

overcoat

overpaid

overlook

overbalance

Rule 32

Convert nouns or verbs into adjectives using suffix -ful

boastful

faithful

doubtful

fearful

thankful

beautiful

pitiful

plentiful

fanciful

merciful

Rule 33

Convert nouns or verbs into adjectives using suffix -ive

attractive

creative

addictive

assertive

abusive

cooperative

exhaustive

appreciative

offensive

expressive

Rule 34

Convert nouns or verbs into adjectives using suffix -al

musical

political

accidental

mathematical

functional

tropical

bridal

central

global

industrial