Endings that sound like -shun, -zhun, -shus and -shul (S44–S45, S47, S53–S54)

Introduction to "Sh" Endings

Have you ever noticed how many words in English end with a "sh" sound, but they are all spelt differently? It can feel a bit like a puzzle! In these notes, we are going to learn the secrets of spelling words that end in sounds like -shun, -zhun, -shus, and -shul.

Learning these patterns is a brilliant way to boost your spelling for your writing and the KS2 Spelling test. Don’t worry if it seems like a lot to remember—we’ll break it down into simple steps with some handy tricks along the way!

Note: This chapter covers spelling codes S44, S45, S47, S53, and S54 from your curriculum. For other suffixes like -ly or -ous, you can check out the "Suffixes" chapter.

The /shun/ Sound (S47)

This is the most common ending sound you’ll hear. There are four main ways to spell it: -tion, -sion, -ssion, and -cian. To pick the right one, we usually look at the "root word" (the word it grew from).

1. The Most Common: -tion

If you aren't sure, -tion is the most likely choice! It is used in words like station, fiction, and motion.

2. The "People" Ending: -cian

We use -cian when the word describes a person’s job or a skill.
The Trick: If the root word ends in ‘c’ or ‘cs’, use -cian.
• music becomes musician
• optics becomes optician
• politics becomes politician

3. The Double 's': -ssion

We use -ssion when the root word ends in ‘ss’ or ‘mit’.
• discuss becomes discussion
• admit becomes admission
• permit becomes permission

4. The 'd' or 'se' Swap: -sion

We use -sion when the root word ends in ‘d’, ‘de’, or ‘se’.
• expand becomes expansion
• explode becomes explosion
• tense becomes tension

Quick Review: Look at the root word! If it’s a person, try -cian. If it ends in 'ss', try -ssion. If it ends in 'd', try -sion. Otherwise, -tion is your best friend!

The /zhun/ Sound (S45)

This sound is a bit "buzzy," like a vibrating 's'. It is almost always spelt -sion. You will usually find it when the ending comes right after a vowel (a, e, i, o, u).

Examples to remember:
• television
• decision
• collision
• confusion

Did you know? The sound /zh/ is like the middle of the word "treasure." When you hear that "buzzy" shun, reach for the -sion spelling!

The /zhuh/ and /chuh/ Sounds (S44)

Sometimes words end with a sound that sounds like "zhur" or "chur." These are usually spelt with -sure or -ture.

1. The /zhuh/ sound: -sure

This sounds like the buzzy /zh/ sound again.
• measure
• treasure
• pleasure
• enclosure

2. The /chuh/ sound: -ture

This sounds more like a "ch" (as in "chips").
• nature
• creature
• picture
• adventure

Common Mistake: Be careful not to spell teacher with a -ture! A teacher is someone who teaches, so it uses the -er suffix. Nature isn't a person doing an action, so it uses -ture.

The /shus/ Sound (S53)

This ending sounds like "shuss" and is usually spelt -cious or -tious.

1. Use -cious

If the root word ends in a ‘c’, use -cious.
• vice becomes vicious
• grace becomes gracious
• malice becomes malicious
Note: Words like "delicious" and "suspicious" also use this spelling!

2. Use -tious

If the root word ends in a ‘t’ or ‘tion’, use -tious.
• ambition becomes ambitious
• caution becomes cautious
• infect becomes infectious

Key Takeaway: Check the letter before the sound. If there is a 'c' nearby in the root word, use -cious. If there is a 't', use -tious.

The /shul/ Sound (S54)

This ending sounds like "shull" and is spelt -cial or -tial. There is a very handy rule for this one!

1. After a Vowel: -cial

If the letter before the sound is a vowel (a, e, i, o, u), we usually use -cial.
• special (the 'e' is the vowel before)
• official
• social
• artificial

2. After a Consonant: -tial

If the letter before the sound is a consonant (like 'n' or 's'), we usually use -tial.
• essential (the 'n' is the consonant before)
• partial
• substantial
• confidential

Memory Aid:
Vowel starts with a V... and so does Very special! (Vowel = -cial).
Consonant starts with a C... and Confidential has a consonant 'n' before the ending!

Quick Review Summary

-tion: The "standard" shun (action).
-cian: A person's job (musician).
-ssion: Root ends in 'ss' or 'mit' (mission).
-sion: The buzzy sound (television) or root ends in 'd' (expansion).
-sure / -ture: The "zhur" (treasure) or "chur" (picture) sounds.
-cious / -tious: The "shus" sound. 'c' for root 'c', 't' for root 't'.
-cial / -tial: The "shul" sound. -cial after vowels, -tial after consonants.

Top Tip for the Test: In the Spelling Paper (Paper 2), the teacher will read the word in a sentence. Listen carefully to whether the sound is a "soft" shun or a "buzzy" zhun—it will help you decide between -tion and -sion!