Welcome to the World of Unusual Spellings!
English can sometimes feel like a bit of a mystery. Have you ever noticed how some words don't sound the way they look? Why does tough rhyme with puff, but though rhymes with go? Why is there a k in knight if we don't say it?
In these notes, we are going to look at some of the most unusual letter strings in the English language. Don't worry if these seem tricky at first—once you learn the patterns, you'll be a spelling superstar! These rules are part of your spelling curriculum (Appendix 1, S48–S60) and will help you feel much more confident in your writing and your spelling tests.
1. The 'ch' Twins (S48–S49)
Usually, ch makes the sound we hear in chips or church. However, in some words, it likes to dress up as a different sound!
The /k/ sound (S48)
In some words, ch is pronounced like a k. These words often come from the Greek language.
• character
• chorus
• scheme
• echo
• orchid
The /sh/ sound (S49)
In other words, ch is pronounced like sh. These words often come from the French language.
• chef
• chalet
• machine
• brochure
Quick Tip: If a word is about food or fancy things (like a chef in a chalet), try the sh sound first!
2. The French Finishers: -gue and -que (S50)
Sometimes words end with a silent u and e that change how we say the letter before them.
• -gue makes a hard /g/ sound (like in gate). Examples: league, tongue, vague, catalogue.
• -que makes a /k/ sound. Examples: unique, antique, mosque.
Key Takeaway: When you see -que, think of the letter k. When you see -gue, think of the letter g. You don't need to say the 'u' or the 'e' at all!
3. The Secret 's' sound: sc (S51)
In some words, the letter c teams up with s to make a simple /s/ sound. The c is basically silent!
• science
• scene
• discipline
• fascinate
• muscle
Did you know? Even though you don't hear the c in muscle, it's always there, waiting to be written!
4. The Many Faces of 'ei', 'eigh' and 'ey' (S52 & S58)
These letter strings can be quite bossy because they change sounds depending on the word.
The /ay/ sound (S52)
All of these strings can make the /ay/ sound (like in play):
• ei: vein, reindeer
• eigh: eight, weigh, neighbour
• ey: they, obey, prey
The /ee/ sound after 'c' (S58)
You might have heard the rule "i before e, except after c". This applies when the sound is /ee/:
• receive
• deceive
• ceiling
• receipt
Common Mistake to Avoid: Don't forget the c! We use ei for the /ee/ sound mainly when it follows the letter c.
5. The Toughest String: -ough (S59)
The ough string is famous for being one of the trickiest parts of English because it can make at least six different sounds! Don't worry if this feels hard—everyone has to practice these ones.
• /or/ sound: bought, thought, nought
• /off/ sound: cough
• /uff/ sound: rough, tough, enough
• /oh/ sound: though, although
• /oo/ sound: through
• /uh/ sound: thorough, borough
Memory Trick: Try grouping them by sound in your head. Rough and Tough are brothers. Bought and Thought are cousins!
6. The Silent Letters (S60)
Silent letters are like "ghost" letters. They are there on the page, but they don't make a sound when we speak. They often tell us about where a word came from.
• Silent k: knight, knee, knock
• Silent n: autumn, column, solemn
• Silent b: thumb, dumb, lamb, crumb
• Silent g: gnat, gnaw, design
• Silent w: write, wrong, wrestle
• Silent h: honest, ghost, where
• Silent l: calm, could, walk
• Silent s: island
Quick Review: Silent letters usually appear at the very beginning or the very end of a word, but sometimes they hide in the middle like the s in island!
Summary Checklist
Before your next spelling task, ask yourself:
1. Is the ch a /k/ (Greek) or a /sh/ (French)?
2. Does the -que or -gue need those silent 'ue' endings?
3. Is there a hidden c in that /s/ sound (like in science)?
4. For ough, which of the 6 sounds am I using?
5. Are there any "ghost" silent letters I've forgotten to write down?
Note: For other spelling patterns like prefixes or suffixes, check out the other chapters in the Spelling section.