Questions and Answers on Spelling
Question 1 : Why is English spelling so tricky?
Answer : English spelling is tricky because the language developed in such a haphazard manner from so many different sources.
Question 2 : How do you pluralize a noun that ends in a sibilant sound?
Answer : Such nouns are pluralized with an -es ending.
Question 3 : How do you spell the /j/ sound at the end of a word?
Answer : The /j/ sound at the end of a word is spelled with the letter dge, as in ledge.
Question 4 : If I am opposed to society’s conventions, should I describe myself as being ante-establishment or anti-establishment?
Answer : I am anti-establishment.
Question 5 : What do we call words with the same spelling but different pronunciations and meanings?
Answer : We call these words heteronyms.
Question 6 : Give an example of words that are heteronyms.
Answer : The words present (accented on the first syllable), meaning “a gift,” and present (accented on the second syllable), meaning “to give,” are heteronyms. There are many other acceptable answers to this question.
Question 7 : What is a mnemonic?
Answer : A mnemonic is a memorization device that has helped many people learn the spellings of difficult words.
Question 8 : Why is the phonics method superior to the look say method for learning to read?
Answer : The look-say method is too unwieldy. No one can memorize and utilize the huge number of words that a healthy vocabulary requires. The phonics method teaches the necessary skills to read almost any word. We then use memorization to fill in the gaps.
Question 9 : When is the letter p silent?
Answer : The letter p is silent when it is followed by the letter s at the beginning of a word, as in psalm.
Question 10 : If you can’t figure out the pronunciation or spelling of a word, what should you do?
Answer : Grab your dictionary. Look it up!