Clockface Rules:
1:00 c or k spelling rule: At the beginning or middle of a word, when you
hear the /k/ sound, it is usually spelled with a 'c' and you use 'k' if it is
followed by an 'i', 'e', or 'y'.
2:00 ge or dge rule: To spell /j/ at the end of a one syllable word use 'dge'
so the 'd' blocks the 'e' from making one vowel say its name. (example:
fudge) se 'ge' everywhere else. (example: huge, barge)
3:00 u, v, or j rule
Words in English do not end in u, v, or j.
At the end of the word, if you hear:
/ue/ add an 'e' (Ex. venue, cue)
/u/ it is most likely spelled with an 'a' (Ex. panda, agenda)
/v/ add an 'e' (Ex. active, give)
/j/ apply the ge/dge rule
4:00 Floss Rule
Double the final consonant if the word:
1. is one syllable (Ex. fluff, miss)
2. has one vowel (Ex. less, fill)
3. ends in f, l, s (or z)
5:00 ck Rule
To spell /k/ at the end of a one syllable word use:
1. 'ck' after one vowel (Ex. stack, sick)
2. 'k' everywhere else (Ex. sneak, hawk, stork, milk)
To spell /k/ at the end of a multisyllable word, use 'c' (Ex. fantastic,
plastic)
6:00 rules - using ck or k at the end of a word. If the word has two vowel
together, use "k" (ex. peak) if there is one vowel, use "ck" (ex. back). If
the vowel is multisyllable, the word will end with a "c" (ex. fantastic)
7:00 rules - 1-1-1, if the word has ONE vowel and ONE consonant, you add ONE
more letter to the word before adding the suffix (ex. put becomes putting).
We also call this "Crazy Ed".
8:00 rules - more "Crazy Ed". When adding "ed" to the end of a word, "ed" can
sound like a "d", "t", or "ed" (ex. huggeD, picked(T), startED)
9:00 rules - when a word ends in a final "e" from the "e" before adding a
vowel suffix(ex. noise + y = noisy, dance + er = dancer, mistake + ing =
mistaking). However, if the word ends in "ce" or "ge" you must keep the "e"
if the suffix begins with "a", "o", or "u" (ex. noticeable, outrageous)
10:00 rules - when a word ends in a consonant + "y" change the "y" to an "i"
before adding the suffix (ex. happy + ness = happiness, body + ly = bodily)
11:00 rules - "i" before "c" except after "c" to spell the sound /ee/ or
the /ae/ sound as in neighbor or weigh. Exceptions: "NEWS" = Neither, Either,
Weird, Seize
12:00 rules - to spell /ou/ use: "ou" at the beginning or middle of the
word, "ow" at the end of the word if it ends in "l", "n", "er" or "el" (ex.
town, tower, owl), and "ow" at the end of the word
