GRAPHICAL RULE
MONOPHTHONGS
1. Vowel / i: / is represented in spelling by:
- the letter “e” in open and historically open syllables (be, meter, these)
- the digraphs “ee” (meet, see)
- “ea” (meat, seat)
- “ie” (piece, field)
- “ei” (ceiling, receive)
- “ey” (key)
- “ay” (quay)
- “eo” (people)
- “i” (ski, machine)
Spelling Highlighted bold letters are pronounced as / i:/.
variations for the
/ i:/ sound.
ee keel, feeble, seek, heed, see, peep, feel
e he, evening, eve, demonise, Peter, these
ea meat, tea, leave, jeans, please, team
ie grief, field, relief, believe
ei receipt, deceit, seize
2. Vowel / ı / is represented in spelling by:
- the letters “i” and “y” in stressed closed syllables (sit, window, myth, syllable)
- “y”, “ey”, “ai”, “ay” when unstressed (city, money, mountain, Sunday)
- the letter “e” in prefixes (before, decide)
- the letters “e”, “a” and “u” when unstressed and sometimes stressed (alphabet,
pretty; climate; minute, busy)
Spelling Highlighted bold letters are pronounced as / ı /.
variations for the
/ ı / sound.
i him, hilarious, hideous, hint, whim, vision, spirit
a village, cabbage
e delete, defeat, delusion
y crypt, synonym, symptoms, hymn
3. Vowel / e / is represented in spelling by:
- the letter “e” in closed accented syllables (red)
- the diagraphs “ea” before “d”, “th” (bread, weather), “s” /3/ (pleasure, measure);
- in words: heavy, pleasant, peasant, health, wealth, meant, breakfast, weapon, any,
many, says, said and some other such like.
“ie” (friend)
“ei” + /3/ (leisure)
letter “u” (bury)
Spelling variations for Highlighted bold letters are pronounced as /e/.
the /e/ sound.
e sensible, wren, beg, bent, gentle, generosity
eo leopard, jeopardy
ea head, wealth, measure, pleasure, thread, leather
ei leisure, Leicester, friend
ay says
4. Vowel / æ / is represented in spelling by:
- the letter “a” in closed syllables (bag, glad)
- Note: A number of disyllabic words with the accented letter “a” in an open syllable
fall under this rule (family, cavity, palate)
Spelling variations for Highlighted bold letters are pronounced as /æ/.
the /æ/ sound.
a Japanese, barrage, nationalities, bad, happened, land,
understand, activity, prank, miraculous, panther,
ragged, man, actually
5. Vowel / 3: / is represented in spelling by:
- The letters “e, i, u, y” followed by “r” /third syllable –type/ (term, bird, fur)
- “ear” + a consonant (earth, heard) BUT: heart, hearth /a: /
- “wor” (work, word)
- “our” (journal, journey)
Spelling variations for Highlighted bold letters are pronounced as /3:/.
the /3:/ sound.
er perjury, commercial, were, verse, infernal
ir shirt, first, stir, girl, Sir, bird
ear yearn, earn, pearl
ur urge, occur, murmuring, burden, furnace, burn
or work, worse, world, word
6. Vowel / ә / is represented in spelling by:
- The letter “a” in prefixes (about)
- In suffixes “er, or, ar, our, ous” (teacher, doctor, cellar, neighbour, famous)
- “a, o, u” when non-accented (sofa, atom, column)
Spelling variations for Highlighted bold letters are pronounced as /ә /.
the /ә /sound.
The first syllable away, agree, abuse, aboard, against, advice, attain,
unstressed advance, canal, correct, police, support
The second syllable doctor, under, figure, colour, absent, constant,
unstressed standard, oral, forward, upward, awkward
7. Vowel / α: / is represented in spelling by:
- The digraph “ar” (part)
- “a” followed by ”ss, st, sk, sp, ft, t, th, lf, lm” (after, past, ask, grasp, father, tomato,
half, calm)
- “ance”, “anch” in words of French origin (France, glance, ranch)
- “and” when stressed (demand)
- Rare Spellings: aunt, draught, laugh, clerk, sergeant, heart, hearth, bazaar, drama,
aria, tomato, garage, moustache, vase
Spelling variations for Highlighted bold letters are pronounced as / α:/.
the / α:/ sound.
ar (“r” is silent) art, arms, bar, mark, arch, bark, dark
ear, er, al, au heart, sergeant, clerk, Derby, psalm, laugh
a before s, n and th bath, castle, fast, glass, disaster, rather, enhance
8. Vowel / Ʌ / is represented in spelling by:
- The letter “u” in stressed closed syllables (uncle)
- “o” followed by “m, n, v, th” (come, son, love, mother)
- The diagraph “ou” followed by “gh, bl(e), pl(e)” (tough, trouble, couple)
- To memorise: “ou” + other consonants (country, courage, cousin, touch, young,
southern)
- Rare Spellings: blood, flood, worry
- Irregular reading: stove
Spelling variations for Highlighted bold letters are pronounced as / Ʌ/.
the / Ʌ / sound.
u must, luck, dump, just, upper, nun, bus, lunch
o come, worry, front, love, done, once, cover
ou rough, tough, country, couple, double, trouble
9. Vowel / ɔ: / is represented in spelling by:
- “oor”, “our”, “oar” (door, your, board)
- “or” /third syllable-type/ (port)
- “a” followed by “ll” or “l” + consonant (all, salt, talk)
- “au”, “aw” (autumn, law)
- “ough”, “augh” + “t” (ought, thought, taught)
- “war” (war, warm), “quar” (quarter)
- Irregular Readings: our, flour, sour, poor
Spelling variations for Highlighted bold letters are pronounced as / ɔ: /.
the / ɔ: / sound.
or storm, door, horse, corpulent, sordid, organic
aw awe, law, dawn, lawn, sprawl
au caustic, Paul, cautious
augh naughty, haughty, daughter
al (a before l/ll) almost, ball, wall, walk, talk, appalling, although
10.Vowel / ɒ / is represented in spelling by:
- The letter “o” in closed stressed syllables (not)
- The digraph “wa” (was), EXCEPT: water /ɔ: /, “wha” (what)
- “qua” (quality), EXCEPT: quarter /kwɔ:/
- Rare Spellings: because, sausage, cough, knowledge
Spelling variations Highlighted bold letters are pronounced as / ɒ /.
for the / ɒ / sound.
o fond, lock, stop, gone, odd, lost, sorry, wrong, often,
clock, knock, obvious, promise, doctor
a want, was, wander, wallet, wallow, wash, watch,
w00arrior, waffle, squat, quantity
11.Vowel / u: / is represented in spelling by:
- The letter “u” in open syllables (tune)
- Note: It sounds /u:/ preceded by “j, r, l” (June, blue)
- The digraphs “eu” and “ew” - /ju:/ (neutral, few) BUT: Jew, crew, flew
- “ui” (suit)
- The digraph “ou” in words of French origin (group, wound)
- “oo” (moon, root, pool), “you” (you, youth)
- Rare Spellings: beauty, queue, who, whom, whose, do, to, too, two
Spelling variations for Highlighted bold letters are pronounced as / u: /.
the / u: / sound.
oo bloom, food, smooth, loop, school, doom
o lose, move, do, who, improvement, remove
ue, oe blue, glue, shoes
ui fruit, juice, cruise
Spelling variations for Highlighted bold letters are pronounced as / ju: /
the / ju: / sound.
U tune, tube, music, curious, tulips
Ew new, few, Kew, mews
12.Vowel / υ / is represented in spelling by:
- The diagraph “oo” followed by “k” (book)
- The letter “u” after “p, b, f”, sometimes “s” (pull, bull, full; sugar)
- Irregular Readings: but, bus, butter
- Rare Spellings: could, should, would, bouquet, woman, wolf
Spelling variations for Highlighted bold letters are pronounced as / υ /.
the / υ / sound.
u put, push, full, butcher, spoonful, fulfil, cushion
oo, o book, look, good, wool, wood, wolf, foot, stood
oul could, would, should
DIPHTHONGS
1. Vowel / eɪ/ is represented in spelling by:
- The letter “a” in open syllables (take)
- The diagraphs “ai”, “ay”, “ea” (main, may, break)
- “ei”, “ey” (veil, grey)
- “ei”+g(h) (eight)
- “a” followed by “ng(e), st(e)” (change, haste)
- Irregular Readings: key/ki:/, height /haɪt/
Spelling variations for Highlighted bold letters are pronounced as /eɪ/.
the /eɪ/ sound.
a take, arrange, late, tape, amaze, change, shape,
stimulate, populate
ai aim, rainbow, vain, gain, plain
ay pay, gay, tray, betray
eigh, aigh weight, eight, straight
2. Vowel / aɪ / is represented in spelling by:
- The letters “i” and “y” in stressed open syllables. (tie, my)
- The diagraph “igh” + “t” (light), “ign” (sign)
- “i” + “ld, nd” (kind, child)
- “uy” (buy)
- Rare Spellings: either, neither, height.
- Irregular Readings: wind /wInd/, city, pity.
Spelling variations for Highlighted bold letters are pronounced as /aɪ/.
the /aɪ/ sound.
y sky, fly, cry, supply, terrify, deny
i idle, slide, shine, wild, advertise, design, mind
igh might, high, nigh, delight, right
ui quite, guide
3. Vowel / ɔɪ/ is represented in spelling by:
- The diagraphs “oi”, “oy” (oil, toy)
- Irregular Readings: tortoise
Spelling variations for Highlighted bold letters are pronounced as /ɔɪ/.
the /ɔɪ/ sound.
oi coin, exploit, moisture, boil, spoil, poise, anoint, soil,
points, broil, foil, loiter
oy enjoy, loyal, annoy, royal, toy, Lloyd, decoy, destroy
4. Vowel / eə / is represented in spelling by:
- The letter combinations “are”, “air” (fare, hair), “a” + “r” + V (vary)
- Irregular Spellings: are /R/, tear, wear, pear, swear, where, there.
Spelling variations for Highlighted bold letters are pronounced as / eә /.
the / eә /sound.
air, ayor, ear repair, fairy, despair, flair, mayor, pear
a before r precarious, scarcely, vicarious, nefarious
are care, scares, square, careless, compare, beware, glare
5. Vowel / υə / is represented in spelling by:
- The letter combination “ure”(cure), the letter “u” followed by “r”+V (jury)
- Irregular Spellings: poor, moor, tour, Europe]
Spelling variations for Highlighted bold letters are pronounced as / υә /.
the / υә /sound.
or, oor, our, u, ur poor, moor, tour, jury, casual, lure, dour
insure, rural, assure, Drury, plural
ew sewer, jewel, brewer
Spelling variations for Highlighted bold letters are pronounced as / jυә /.
the / jυә /sound.
ur manure, pure, mature, obscure
ua, ue dual, fuel, manual
ew fewer
6. The vowel sound /ɪә/:
ea cereal, nuclear, gear, nearly, theatre
ie experience, bier, pier, cavalier
io superior, exterior
iou mysterious, curious, spurious
ei weird, weir
er, eer sphere, interfere, here, queer, peer, sheer
7. Vowel / aυ / is represented in spelling by:
- The diagraphs “ou”, “ow” (out, town)
- Rare Spellings: drought, bough, plough
Spelling variations for Highlighted bold letters are pronounced as /aυ/.
the /aυ/ sound.
ou found, mouse, sprout, bounce, shout, loud, doubt,
scout, mountain, thousand, fountain
ow prow, trowel, vowel, owl, now, endow, flower
8. Vowel / әυ / is represented in spelling by:
- The letter “o” in open syllables (go, home)
- “o” followed by “ll, ld, st” (roll, old, most)
- “o” in word-final unstressed syllables (hero)
- The diagraph “ow” (low, tomorrow)
- The diagraph “oa” (boat)
- Irregular Readings: now, how, cow, row (галас), brow, bow - /au/
- Rare Spellings: shoulder, poultry, soul, owe, brooch, mould
Spelling variations for Highlighted bold letters are pronounced as /әυ/.
the /әυ/sound.
o hope, role, focus, those, both, clothes, bold, open,
whole
oa road, oak, coat
ow glow, sorrow, pillow, follow, sparrow, throw
ew sew
CONSONANTS
1. Consonant / t / is represented in spelling by:
- letter “t” (tie), “tt” (butter), “ed” as a past tense ending after voiceless consonants
(worked), “th” (Thomas). But mind that “t” is sometimes silent (listen).
2. Consonant / d / is represented in spelling by:
- a letter “d” (dog), “dd” (address).
3. Consonant / p / is represented in spelling by:
- letter “p” (open), “pp” (apple).
- But mind: “ph” is pronounced as /f/ (phone) and “p” is sometimes silent
(psychology).
4. Consonant / b / is represented in spelling by:
- a letter “b” (job), “bb”(rubber).
- But mind that “b” is sometimes silent (comb)
5. Consonant / k / is represented in spelling by:
- letter “k” (king), “c” (can), “cc” (soccer), “ck” (locker), “ch” (ache), “x” /ks/ (six),
and a letter combination “qu” /kw/ (quick).
- But mind that “k” is sometimes silent at the beginning of some words (know, knife).
Spelling variations Highlighted bold letters pronounced as /k/
for the sound /k/
k sketch, keep, Kenya, ketchup, key, kind
q quite, quick, request, squeeze, antique
c cat, curious, magic, uncle, historical, holistic
ch charismatic, stomach, chemist, chaos, chord
6. Consonant / g / is represented in spelling by:
- a letter “g” (go), “gg” (bigger), “gh” (ghost), “gu” (guest), x /gz/ (exact).
- But mind that “g” can be silent (sign, foreign).
Spelling variations for the Highlighted bold letters pronounced as /g/
sound /g/
g guessed, guard, ghost, plague, glue, struggle, angle,
single, signal, language
x-/gz/ exact, examination, exaggerate, exert, exasperate,
existing
7. Consonant / f / is represented in spelling by:
- letter “f” (fell), “ff” (offer) or letter combinations “ph” (photo), “gh” (laugh)
Spelling variations for Highlighted bold letters are pronounced as / f/.
the / f/ sound.
f feast, first, cleft, lift, fantasy, fantastic, finish
ft soften, often
ph pharmacy, phone, photograph, philosophy, physics,
philharmonic
gh rough, tough, laugh
8. Consonant / v / is represented in spelling by:
- a letter “v” (never), “f” (of).
9. Consonant / w / is represented in spelling by:
- a letter “w” (will), “wh” (when), “o” in the initial position (one), “qu”(quite).
Spelling variations for Highlighted bold letters are pronounced as / w/.
the / w/ sound.
w wax, wolf. work, wait, want, watch, weather
wh whale, wheel, whether
u after q queen, quench, quantity
o once, someone
10.Consonant / h / is represented in spelling by:
- letter “h” (hat), “wh” (who).
Spelling variations Highlighted bold letters pronounced as /h/
for the sound /h/
h hat, heat, hard, hurt, hideous, ahoy, behind, behave, perhaps,
boyhood, rehearse, enhance, heather, heredity, inherit, adhere,
dishearten, behalf
wh who
11.Consonant / j / is represented in spelling by:
- letter “y” (you), “i” (view), “e” (few), and “u” (cute).
Spelling variations for Highlighted bold letters are pronounced as / j/.
the / j/ sound.
y young, yes, you, yesterday, yard, yarn
u use, argue, value, duty, huge, assume, refuse, confuse,
unisex
ew new, fewer
12.Consonant / l / is represented in spelling by:
- letter “l” (let), though it can be silent sometimes (calm, should).
13.Consonant / m / is represented in spelling by:
- letter “m” (man).
- There may be a silent “b” or “n” after the sound /m/ (comb, autumn).
14.Consonant / n / is represented in spelling by:
- letter “n” (not).
- There may be a silent “k” before /n/ (knife).
Spelling variations for Highlighted bold letters are pronounced as / n/.
the / n/ sound.
n noble, nunnery, nimble, naughty, nine, never, nest,
lawn, dawn, upon, down, penny, again, son
kn knickers, knit, knowledge, known
15.Consonant / ŋ / is represented in spelling by:
- letters “ng” (young), “n” before “k” (think).
Spelling variations for Highlighted bold letters are pronounced as / ŋ /.
the / ŋ / sound.
ng Wing, sing, sung, ring, hang, bring, cling, sting, among,
tongue, nothing, sailing, railing
n before k Think, wink, bank, honk
16.Consonant / r / is represented in spelling by:
- letter “r” (red), though it can be silent when not followed by a vowel (arm, scared),
and ‘wr’ where ‘w’ is silent (wrong).
17.Consonant / s / is represented in spelling by:
- letter “s” (sad), “ss” (class), “sc” (science), “c” (receive), “x” /ks/ (box).
- But mind that “s” is not always pronounced /s/ (sugar, rise, plays).
Spelling variations Highlighted bold letters pronounced as /s/
for the sound /s/
s swan, base, chase, paradise, practise, promise, gas, atlas,
takes
sc scientific, science, scent
c finance, cemetery, circumstances, receive
18.Consonant / z / is represented in spelling by:
- a letter “z” (zero), “zz” (buzz), “s” (nose), “ss” (scissors), x /gz/ (exact).
- But mind that “-se” ta the end of words is usually pronounced /z/ (rise).
Spelling variations for the Highlighted bold letters pronounced as /z/
sound /z/
z zoom, zealous, zip, zigzag, zoo, Zurich, zinc, zebra,
zero, zest, Zimbabwe
s scissors, use, does, has, is, as, was, easy, busy, dogs,
trees, plays, cleanse
19.Consonant /ʃ/ is represented in spelling by:
- letters “sh” (shoe), “ch” (champagne), “s” (sugar), “ss” (Russia), “tio” (nation), “c”
(ocean, special).
Spelling variations Highlighted bold letters pronounced as / ʃ /
for the sound / ʃ /
sh sheep, shirt, push, wish, fashion, cashier
ch moustache, champagne
s, ss pressure, session, Russia, sure, Sean
Spelling variations Highlighted bold letters pronounced as / ʃə /
for the sound / ʃə /
cio, cia special, delicious, malicious, suspicious
tio, tia condition, motion, nutritious, Venetian
20.Consonant / ʒ / is represented in spelling by:
- letters “s” before “ur, io” (measure, collision), “g” (garage).
Spelling variations Highlighted bold letters pronounced as / ʒ /
for the sound / ʒ /
s before ur measure, pleasure, casual, enclosure
s before io occasion, decision, confusion, intrusion, collision
g prestige, garage, massage, beige, rouge
21.Consonants / θ / and / ð / are represented in spelling by:
- a letter combination “th” (three, that), BUT in a few names of places and people,
TH is pronounced as /t/ (Thailand, Thomas, Thames)
The consonant sound / θ /
th thanks, three, third, thought, thumb, thing, thin, bath, breath,
cloth, tenth, sixth, truth, both, author, arithmetic
The consonant sound /ð/
th though, that, therefore, than, bathe, with, smooth, clothe, soothe,
breathe, father, other, gather, rather, further, either
22.Consonant /t ʒ / is represented in spelling by:
- letters “ch” (church), “tch” (watch), “t” before “u” (literature).
Spelling variations Highlighted bold letters pronounced as / t ʒ /
for the sound / t ʒ /
ch church, Churchill, chap, which, orchard, achieve
tch catch, butcher, clutched, matched, Thatcher
t before u literature, posture, moisturize, architecture
23.Consonant / dʒ / is represented in spelling by:
- letters “j” (jam), “g” (page), “dg” (ledge).
Spelling variations Highlighted bold letters pronounced as / dʒ /
for the sound / dʒ /
j job, adjoin, joke, John, June, juvenile, rejection
g gem, luggage, badger, ledger, George, courage
