Vocabulary spelling level III g8

Level III

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Exceeding the Standards: Vocabulary & Spelling, Level III
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compass, © Don Hammond/Design Pics/CORBIS.
ISBN 978-0-82194-431-8
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CONTENTS
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v

Unit 1: Word Parts
Lesson 1: Word Study Notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Lesson 2: Words as Groups of Morphemes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Lesson 3: Morphemes and Meaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Lesson 4: Morphemes and Spelling Patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Time Out for Test Practice: Morphemes and Spelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Unit 2: Spelling
Lesson 5: Spelling Patterns I: Prefixes and Suffixes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Lesson 6: Spelling Patterns II: Numerals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Lesson 7: Spelling by Syllables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Lesson 8: Syllabication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Lesson 9: Pronunciation and Accented Syllables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Time Out for Test Practice: Spelling Patterns and Syllabication . . . . . . .21

Unit 3: Academic Language
Lesson 10: Academic Language I: Critical Thinking Terms . . . . . . . . . . .23
Lesson 11: Academic Language II: Test-Taking Language . . . . . . . . . . . .25
Lesson 12: Using Dictionaries and Thesauruses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Lesson 13: Synonyms and Antonyms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30

Time Out for Test Practice: Academic and Test-Taking Language . . . .32

Unit 4: Word Origins
Lesson 14: Word Origins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Lesson 15: Evolution of Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Lesson 16: Eponyms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Lesson 17: Base Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
Time Out for Test Practice: Word Parts and Vocabulary. . . . . . . . . . . . .41

Unit 5: Word Parts and Meaning
Lesson 18: Prefixes, Roots, and Suffixes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43
Lesson 19: Greek, Latin, and Anglo-Saxon Roots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
Lesson 20: Word Parts for Size. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
Lesson 21: Suffixes and Parts of Speech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Time Out for Test Practice: More Word Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

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Unit 6: Word Study Skills and Context Clues

Lesson 22: Word Study Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52
Lesson 23: PAVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
Lesson 24: Context Clues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56
Lesson 25: Using Context Clues I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Lesson 26: Using Context Clues II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60
Time Out for Test Practice: Using Context Clues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62

Unit 7: Choosing Words
Lesson 27: Connotation and Denotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64
Lesson 28: Homonyms and Homophones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
Lesson 29: Figurative Language: Similes, Metaphors,
Analogies, and Idioms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68
Time Out for Test Practice: Connotation, Homophones,
and Words with Multiple Meanings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70

Unit 8: More About Choosing and Collecting Words
Lesson 30: Making Effective Word Choices in Your Writing . . . . . . . . . .72
Lesson 31: Euphemisms, Doublespeak, and Clichés . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
Lesson 32: Becoming a Word Watcher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76
Time Out for Test Practice: Identify Euphemisms,
Double Speak, and Clichés . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78
Answer Key. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80

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Introduction
The Exceeding the Standards resource books provide in-depth language arts instruction to enrich
students’ skills development beyond the level of meeting the standards. Exceeding the Standards:
Vocabulary & Spelling offers meaningful ways to incorporate word study into the language arts
classroom.
Vocabulary & Spelling presents thirty-two lessons, designed to be used weekly, that cover a broad
range of topics from etymology to context clues to spelling patterns. These lessons are aligned with
the units of the Mirrors & Windows: Connecting with Literature program and may be used alone or as
supplements to the Vocabulary & Spelling workshops in the Student Edition. Each lesson incorporates
words from selections in the corresponding unit of the textbook. By using these lessons in
conjunction with the literature program, you will help your students become better readers, writers,
speakers, and spellers.
Each lesson in Vocabulary & Spelling includes the following components:
• A Word of the Week, selected from the corresponding textbook unit, highlights a word that
students may find particularly meaningful or interesting.
• Grammar instruction on one or more topics is followed by a Try It Yourself section that allows
students to practice what they are learning.
• Just For Fun activities encourage students to play with words, reminding them that language can be
fun and interesting.
• Tip boxes in the margin throughout the lesson clarify definitions, offer additional information, and
give helpful suggestions.
• A Time Out for Test Practice at the end of each unit provides students with the opportunity to
assess what they have learned and to practice test-taking skills by answering sample standardized
test questions in a multiple-choice format.

It is essential that vocabulary instruction include a variety of strategies to develop students’
word-study skills. Lessons in Vocabulary & Spelling provide many different ways of exploring and
studying words, word parts, semantic families, and spelling patterns and rules. Activating students’
prior knowledge of words and of essential concepts related to words helps students make associations
between new terms and words they already know.
The activities in Vocabulary & Spelling will help you actively engage students in working with
words. As their curiosity about word exploration grows, your students will become increasingly
confident in their ability to attack, learn, and experiment with new words.

Related Program Resources
For more vocabulary and spelling instruction, including charts of common prefixes, suffixes, and
word roots, refer to the Mirrors & Windows Student Edition Language Arts Handbook, Section 2:
Vocabulary & Spelling. Additional vocabulary development activities integrated with the literature
selections are included in the Meeting the Standards unit resource books and in Differentiated
Instruction for English Language Learners.

Teaching Tips
Word study encompasses not only vocabulary and spelling, but also the strategies language users
employ to unlock meanings and internalize spellings. Effective instruction in word study gives
students tools for learning new vocabulary and spelling independently in the long term. The following
teaching tips can help you ensure that your students get the most from the lessons in Vocabulary &
Spelling.

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Teach Word Attack Strategies
There are a number of strategies good readers employ when they are confronted with an unfamiliar
word. These strategies include:
• using the context as a clue
• gleaning hints from pictures, charts, graphs, and other text support
• examining word parts: prefixes, suffixes, and roots
• combing through memories for associations with the word
• consulting dictionaries and other reference materials
• asking an authority, such as a teacher or other expert in the field
For many of us, these strategies have become second nature, and we are hardly conscious of using
them. To students, however, they are not so obvious; strategic word decoding takes place mostly
internally and silently, word attack strategies are largely invisible, and uninitiated students may never
witness them in action. Research suggests that students need explicit instruction in these strategies to
become proficient readers and effective writers. The lessons in Vocabulary & Spelling provide such
explicit instruction.
Create a Word-Rich Environment
The essential backdrop to an effective word study program is a classroom where words are clearly
valued. The following are some ideas for creating such a classroom.
• Word Wall Post a variety of vocabulary words and/or words of the week in your classroom to
provide students with repetition and recycling of the terms you want them to internalize. Use it
as the basis of word games such as bingo, Jeopardy, and twenty questions, as well as collaborative
storytelling.
• Class Dictionary Have students keep a class dictionary by taking turns entering words studied in
class, providing definitions, illustrating terms, writing contextual sentences, and searching for realworld uses of the words.

• Classroom Library Provide a broad range of reading materials, giving students time for sustained
silent reading, and modeling avid reading yourself, to build students’ vocabularies.
• Word Processing Language Tools Encourage students to make use of language features built into
word processing programs, such as dictionaries and thesauruses.
• Online Word Games Schedule time for your students to learn new vocabulary with online word
games and other technology tools.
• Language Mentor Share your own interest in words by drawing students’ attention to interesting
words in the news or in pop culture and by modeling how you approach words that are new to you.
Foster Curiosity
The key to incorporating meaningful word study into your language arts classroom is to encourage
dialogue with your students about how words create meaning. Your own curiosity about language
is infectious and will encourage your students to become inquisitive “word detectives” motivated to
solve the mystery of word meanings.
About Spelling “Rules”
Some students benefit from memorizing what are sometimes called spelling rules; others are
frustrated by the number of exceptions to each rule. To reflect the prevalence of exceptions, the term
spelling pattern has been used instead of spelling rule in this resource. In addition to introducing
students to spelling patterns, you can help them become stronger spellers by following the same
teaching tips mentioned above: modeling the use of strategies, creating a word-rich classroom, and
fostering curiosity.

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Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 1

Word Study Notebook
Understand the Concept
Adding words to your vocabulary can be fun as well as useful. Knowing
more words can make you a more interesting writer and speaker.
Instead of always using “he said” and “she said” in writing dialogue,
you could use verbs like mumbled, cried, shouted, declared, stated,
announced, remarked, pouted, or whispered. And instead of describing
something as big, you could call it humongous, enormous, gigantic,
colossal, jumbo, mammoth, or whopping.
Learning more about words can also help you with your reading.
No matter what you are reading, you will run into unfamiliar words
from time to time. Keeping track of these words and their definitions
can help you become a better reader.
A good way to expand your vocabulary is to keep a word study
notebook. In it, you can record each new word with its definition,
origin, and pronunciation, along with an example sentence or drawing
to help you remember it. Here is a sample page from a word study
notebook.
Word: gregarious
Pronunciation: \grig gar> 7 @s\
Origins: Latin gregarius, “of a flock or herd”
Definition: social; sociable, friendly

Sentence: Greg is the most gregarious person I know —
he is friendly with everyone!

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Word of the Week
pandemonium (n7 @m) adj., a riotous, chaotic
situation
When news broke that the pet
boa constrictors had escaped
somewhere in the classroom,
there was total pandemonium—
some students ran toward the
door, others climbed on top of
desks, several stood unable to
move and simply screamed, and
still others laughed uproariously.
Pandemonium was first used by
John Milton in his 17th-century
epic poem Paradise Lost to refer
to the capital of Hell. The word
was derived by combining the
Greek pan-, meaning “all,” and
-daimon, meaning “evil spirit.”
Pandemonium implies unruly

and loud circumstances. It can
be used to describe comical
situations, such as those seen
in slapstick comedy shows and
movies, or tragic events, such
as those caused by warfare and
terroristic attacks. Synonyms of
pandemonium include chaos,
bedlam, hubbub, confusion,
tumult, and disarray.

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Try to learn unfamiliar
words instead of ignoring
them. As you read, jot down these
words and try to figure out their
meanings. As you listen to the
radio, watch television, or surf the
Internet, do the same. If you are
out running errands, at school, or
even on vacation, carry a small
notebook with you. That way, you
can jot down new or interesting
words to investigate later. Be sure

to include in your away-fromhome notebook information about
where you saw the word and any
context clues you noticed.

Tip

Try It Yourself
Fill in this sample page of a word study notebook.
Word: erratic
Pronunciation:
Definition:
Origins:
Example sentence:
Drawing:

Just for Fun
You can use your word study
notebook to record interesting,
strange, or unusual words as well.
On your own paper or in your
notebook, do word study entries
for the following words.
•
•
•
•
•

quibble
raucous

abominable
monotony
bamboozle

Browse through a magazine or newspaper until you find a word that is
unfamiliar to you. Use the space below to create your own word study
notebook entry for the unfamiliar word. To find the correct definition
and pronunciation, ask your teacher or consult a dictionary. If you use
a dictionary, use the context of the word in the article to decide which
definition is correct for that usage of the word. If you wish, you can also
include the other definition entries.
Word:
Pronunciation:
Definition:
Origins:
Example sentence:
Drawing:

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Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 2

Words as Groups of Morphemes
Understand the Concept
As you may already know, many words are made up of several
meaningful parts. For example, the word unusual is made up of a prefix,
un-, plus the base word usual. Morphemes are word parts that contain
meaning. Prefixes, suffixes, word roots, and base words are morphemes.
When you break words down into morphemes, you can look at the
meaning of each part.
Morphemes can be either free or bound. Free morphemes
can stand alone as words. Base words are free morphemes. Bound
morphemes must be attached to other morphemes to make words.
Prefixes, suffixes, and word roots are bound morphemes.
By recognizing the morphemes in a word, you can identify other
words that share a morpheme and therefore share meaning. The words in
the following word group all contain the word root bene, meaning good.
word group

Word of the Week
inflection (in flek> sh@n) n.,
change in pitch or tone of voice
I could tell by the slight inflection
in her voice that she was irritated
with the caller.
From the Latin word inflectere,
this word contains bound

morphemes in the word root
flect, which means “to bend” and
the suffix –ion, which means “an
action or process.” A knowledge
of morphemes allows you to
understand words such as
inflection.

Morphemes are
word parts that contain
meaning. Prefixes, suffixes, word
roots, and base words are all
morphemes.

Tip

benediction
benefactor
beneficial
benefit
benevolent
You can break down a word into its parts by identifying each part and
separating it from the rest of the word. You may want to review your
Word Parts Charts to become familiar with common morphemes.
Consider the word projector. If you split the word into its parts (pro- /
ject / -or), you can look at each part on its own. Pro- is a prefix meaning
“forward.” Ject is a word root meaning “throw.” The suffix -or means
“one that [does something].” Based on the meanings of the word parts,
a projector is a device that throws something forward. In effect, a
projector “throws forward” an image onto a screen.

Tip

A prefix is a word part
that links to the front of a

word.
recall, unreal, distract
A suffix is a word part that links
to the end of a word.
mindful, softness, jarring

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A word root is a word
part that cannot stand
alone but that combines with
prefixes and suffixes to make
words.

Tip

psych (from Greek, meaning
“mind”): psyching, psychiatry,
psychotic
A base word is a word that can
stand alone, but that can also link
to other word parts to create new
words.
stop: stopper, unstoppable,
stopgap

Try It Yourself
For each word in the following word groups, circle the morpheme that
the group has in common. Then describe how the words in the group
are similar in meaning.
1. reaction
activist
interact
activate
How are these words similar?
2. brazenly
deftly
elaborately
insolently
matronly
How are these words similar?
3. arrangement
estrangement

commencement
tenement
containment
How are these words similar?
4. incredible
discredit
creditable
credit
incredulity
How are these words similar?

Just for Fun
Make at least three new words by combining some of the following
word parts. Write definitions for your new words in your notebook.
They don’t have to be serious or real words.
-ance
auto
centr
countercycl
disform

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hydr
hyper-ive
ject

loc
mot
ped

Exceeding the Standards: Vocabulary & Spelling

phon
port
psych
retrorupt

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Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 3

Morphemes and Meaning
Understand the Concept
One way of figuring out an unfamiliar word is by looking at its parts.
The parts of a word are called morphemes. Base words are free
morphemes. Free morphemes can stand alone as words. They can also
link with other morphemes to form words.
examples

mind + -ful = mindful

Compound words are words made up of two or more free morphemes.
examples

landscape
handshake

newspaper
watershed

lighthearted

Many words are made up of word roots, prefixes, and suffixes. Word
roots are word parts that form the core of a word. Prefixes are word
parts that attach to the beginning of a word. Suffixes are word parts
that attach to the end of a word. Although they are unable to stand
alone, word roots, prefixes, and suffixes all have meaning.

Try It Yourself
For each of the following words, predict the word meanings based on
the parts of the words.
example

Word of the Week
feebleminded (f7 b@l m8n>
d@d) adj., not having normal
intelligence; mentally deficient;
foolish
They believed the old man was
feebleminded, but he was actually
very bright.

From the Latin word flebilis, which
means lamentable, or wretched,
the word feebleminded is a
compound word created from the
base words, or free morphemes,
“feeble” and “mind.”

Tip

Compound words can be
closed, hyphenated, or

open.
A closed compound combines
two words that were originally
separate words, now spelled as
one word.

unbelievable

word part and meaning: un-, means “not”

worksheet, doghouse, notebook

word part and meaning: believe, means “regard as true or real”

A hyphenated compound is a
combination of words joined by a
hyphen.

word part and meaning: -able, means “able to”
prediction: not able to be regarded as true or real
1. immeasurable
word part and meaning:
word part and meaning:
word part and meaning:
prediction:
2. benediction
word part and meaning:
word part and meaning:

jack-in-the-pulpit, user-friendly,
half-dollar
An open compound is a
combination of words that are so
closely related when put together
that they make up a single
concept.
police officer, inferiority complex,
media center

word part and meaning:
prediction:

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Just for Fun
Using prefixes, word roots, and
suffixes, create five new words
of your own. You may want to
refer to your Word Parts Charts.
Don’t worry about whether your
combinations create “real” words
or not. Include a short definition of
each word.
1.

3. exclusion
word part and meaning:
word part and meaning:
word part and meaning:
prediction:
4. transition
word part and meaning:
word part and meaning:
word part and meaning:

2.

prediction:

3.
4.

5. antibacterial
word part and meaning:

5.

word part and meaning:
word part and meaning:
prediction:
6. transformation
word part and meaning:
word part and meaning:
word part and meaning:
prediction:
7. unabated
word part and meaning:
word part and meaning:
word part and meaning:
prediction:
8. inactivate
word part and meaning:
word part and meaning:
word part and meaning:
prediction:

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Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 4

Morphemes and Spelling Patterns
Understand the Concept
Morphemes (word parts) combine with other morphemes to make
words. When you are trying to remember how to spell a word, think
about the morphemes in the word. Are those morphemes in any words
you already know how to spell? Spelling patterns typically carry over
from word to word.
Imagine that you want to write the word progressive, but you can’t
remember if the word has one s or two. Think of other words you know
that contain gress. You may remember how to spell progress, aggressive,
or congress. As you jot down the other words that contain gress, you see
the pattern and realize that progressive is correct, not progresive.

Try It Yourself

How many words can you think of that share each of the following
word parts? Compare your lists with a classmate’s.

Word of the Week
prevail (pri v6l>) v., to win
against opposition; succeed or win
out in spite of difficulties
As the trial began, everyone
wondered if justice would prevail.
The word prevail comes from
the Latin word praevale–re. It is
formed by the words prae, which
means “in front of” or “before,”
and vale–re, which means “to be
strong.” The common prefix pre- is
derived from prae and appears in
many everyday words. Knowing
this prefix will help you understand
words such as premerger, prepay,
and prequalify.

1. -able

2. appear

A morpheme is a word
part that has meaning.
Prefixes, suffixes, base words, and
word roots are all morphemes.

3. dis-

prefix
suffix
base word
word root

Tip

re-ion
stand
lum

4. graph

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5. dyn

6. -ous

7. firm

8. man

Just for Fun
Play Morpheme Bingo with your classmates. Compile a list of
common morphemes. Use these morphemes instead of letter-number
combinations when calling out squares to players. Make a card for each
player, writing in each square a word that contains one morpheme from
your list. Begin play. If the caller says “ject,” for example, players with
the words subject, injection, conjecture, reject, and objection could
mark those squares. Play ends when someone gets five words vertically,
horizontally, or diagonally.

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Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

Time Out for Test Practice
Morphemes
Write the letter of the best answer on the blank.
_____ 1. What is a prefix?
A. a main word part that can stand
alone
B. a main word part that cannot
stand alone
C. a letter or group of letters added
to the beginning of a word
D. a letter or group of letters added
to the end of a word
_____ 2. Which of the following contains a
prefix?
A. devalue
B. value
C. valuable
D. valid
_____ 3. What is a suffix?
A. a main word part that can stand
alone
B. a main word part that cannot
stand alone
C. a letter or group of letters added
to the beginning of a word
D. a letter or group of letters added
to the end of a word
_____ 4. Which of the following contains a
suffix?

A. misfire
B. smoke
C. smoker
D. ign
_____ 5. Considering the word navigator, -or
most likely means
A. “quality; state.”
B. “action; process.”
C. “one who.”
D. “more.”

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_____ 6. Considering the word miraculous,
-ous most likely means
A. “possessing the qualities of.”
B. “act; state; system of belief.”
C. “having the characteristics of.”
D. “indicates description.”
_____ 7. Considering the word outmuscle, outmost likely means
A. “before; forward.”
B. “in a manner that goes beyond.”
C. “below; short of a quantity or
amount.”
D. “too much; too many; extreme;
above.”
_____ 8. Considering the word subgenres, submost likely means
A. “back.”

B. “under.”
C. “before.”
D. “not.”
_____ 9. Based on the words audition and
auditorium, the word root aud most
likely means
A. “time.”
B. “good.”
C. “hear.”
D. “trust.”
_____ 10. Based on the words liberal and
liberate, the word root liber most
likely means
A. “free.”
B. “throw.”
C. “read.”
D. “water.”

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Which of the following does not contain a free morpheme?
_____ 11. A.
B.

C.
D.

immeasurable
mindful
assertions
incredulity

_____ 12. A.
B.
C.
D.

mystified
flutter
chronicles
grimly

_____ 13. Which of the following contains a
word root that means “good”?
A. restful
B. audition
C. benefit
D. misfire
_____ 14. Which of the following contains a
base word?
A. inadequate
B. auditorium
C. chronological
D. actor

Spelling
Which of the following words are spelled incorrectly?
_____ 15. A.
B.
C.
D.

plagiarism
barbarism
ventriloquiism
None of the above

_____ 17. A.
B.
C.
D.

hurtful
helpful
hopeful
None of the above

_____ 16. A.
B.
C.
D.

careless
lovless

joyless
None of the above

_____ 18. A.
B.
C.
D.

fixxate
activate
populate
None of the above

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Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 5

Spelling Patterns I: Prefixes and Suffixes
Understand the Concept
Adding prefixes and suffixes often causes spelling errors. A prefix is
a word part added to the beginning of a word to change its meaning.
When adding a prefix, do not change the spelling of the word itself.
examples

mis- + spelling = misspelling
non- + verbal = nonverbal
il- + legal = illegal
un- + seemly = unseemly

A suffix is a word part added to the end of a word to change its
meaning. The spelling of most words is not changed when the suffix
-ness or -ly is added.
examples

play + -ing = playing
coy + -ly = coyly
bay + -ed = bayed

If you are adding a suffix to a word that ends with y, and that y follows
a consonant, you should usually change the y to i. (Consonants are
letters that are not vowels.)
examples

emphatically (im fa> ti k(@)l7)
adv., done or said in a strong way
He emphatically stated that
he was not responsible for the

damage to the car, which made it
easier to believe him.
The word emphatically is formed
by the word emphatic and the
suffix -ly, which means “in such a
way.” Emphatic is derived from the
Greek word emphatikos, which is
from emphainein, a verb meaning
“to exhibit or display.”

defiant + -ly = defiantly
kind + -ness = kindness
final + -ly = finally
fierce + -ly = fiercely

If you are adding a suffix to a word that ends with y, and that y follows a
vowel, you should usually leave the y in place.
examples

Word of the Week

weary + -ly = wearily
soggy + -est = soggiest
dry + -ed = dried

When adding a suffix
that begins with a vowel
to a word that ends in silent e,
you should usually drop the e.
However, there are exceptions to

this pattern. The e must be kept
when a word ends in ce or ge in
order to preserve the soft c and g
sounds.

Tip

notice + able = noticeable
advantage + ous = advantageous
courage + ous = courageous

If you are adding a suffix that begins with a vowel to a word that ends
with a silent e, you should usually drop the e.
examples

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make + -ing = making
bone + -y = bony
value + -able = valuable
fame + -ous = famous

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Some words do not fit the
pattern. You will have to
memorize these words.

Tip

If you are adding a suffix that begins with a consonant to a word that
ends with a silent e, you should usually leave the e in place.
examples

day + -ly = daily
possible + -ly = possibly

futile + -ly = futiley
time + -less = timeless
fortunate + -ly = fortunately
close + -ness = closeness

Try It Yourself
Add the following prefixes and/or suffixes to the following words, being
sure to spell the new word correctly. Then write a sentence using the
new word you have formed.
example

Just for Fun
Use the following words in a silly
poem.

bumble
commonly
confuse
fetish
mumble
overeat

reddish
repeat
reuse
skittish
witty

tricky + -er = trickier
The first problem was easy, but the second one was
trickier.

1. dis- + satisfied =
sentence:
2. sheepish + -ly =
sentence:
3. debate + -ing =
sentence:
4. im- + perfect + -ly =
sentence:
5. un- + heed + -ing =
sentence:
6. deploy + -ed =
sentence:
7. gruesome + -ness =

sentence:
8. futile + -ity =
sentence:
9. gaunt + -ness =
sentence:
10. active + -ate =
sentence:

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Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 6

Spelling Patterns II: Numerals
Understand the Concept
People use numerals in their speech every day. You might tell someone
the time, how many siblings you have, or the score of a recent sporting
event. Though numerals are part of our everyday lives, many people

do not know how to use numerals in their writing. The general rule for
writing numerals is to spell out the numbers zero through one hundred
and all whole numbers followed by “hundred.” Larger whole numbers,
such as eight thousand or six billion, should also be spelled out. Use
numerals for numbers greater than one hundred that are not whole
numbers.
example
I could have sworn that the five of us had collected a hundred
thousand pop-tops, but the total amount only came to 78,809.
Use a hyphen to separate compound numbers from twenty-one
through ninety-nine. Use a hyphen in a fraction used as a modifier, but
not in one used as a noun.

Word of the Week
jovial (j9> v7 @l) adj., jolly, merry
The man was so jovial that
we forgot he was a complete
stranger and spent the next few
hours chatting with him over
dinner.
The word jovial comes from the
Italian word joviale and the Latin
word Jovialis or “of Jupiter.” Its
meaning comes from the idea
that anyone born under the sign
of Jupiter would have a goodhumored disposition. In classic
Latin, the compound Juppiter
replaced the Old Latin Jovis as the
god’s name.

example
I mowed three fourths of the backyard with a tank that was twofifths full of gas. It was hard to mow around the twenty-four trees
we own!
Use words to write the time unless you are writing the exact time
(including the abbreviation am or pm). When you use the word o’clock,
express the number in words.
example
It was eight o’clock when the car showed up, even though I asked
that they come at 7:45 am. It was a quarter after nine before we
arrived.

Try It Yourself

Tip

When you write a date, do
not add -st, -nd, or -th.

incorrect
November 30th, 2010
November 2nd
correct
November 30, 2010
November 2 (or the second of
November)

Read the following passage and circle the numerals that are written
incorrectly. Rewrite those numerals correctly on the lines below the
passage.
At six forty-five

on December tenth, 2009, I woke up to go
to work. The alarm was blaring and I hoped I didn’t wake up my
neighbor and her two children. The kids are 14 and 15. This

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summer they helped me raise sixteen hundred and eighty-three
caterpillars. Forty-nine of the caterpillars died, but four-fifths of
them became butterflies.

My glass was two thirds full at breakfast, but I didn’t want to
share the rest of the orange juice with my sister Lucia. Lucia
is 17, but whines like someone half her age. If I’m not out of
the bathroom by 7 o’clock she throws a fit and wakes up our
grandma. Grandma needs her rest because she’s not as young
as she used to be. Grandma claims that she is 1,455 years old,
but I know she’s only eightyseven.

Use numerals to express

dates, street numbers,
room numbers, telephone
numbers, page numbers, exact
amounts of money, scores, and
percentages. Spell out the word
percent. Whole-number dollar or
cent amounts of only a few words
can be spelled out (as in “seventy
cents”).

Tip

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Just for Fun
Write your own passage that includes misspelled numerals. Trade your
work with a partner and see if you are able to correct their passage.

Exceeding the Standards: Vocabulary & Spelling

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Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 7

Spelling by Syllables
Understand the Concept
All words have at least one syllable. A syllable is a part of a word that
contains a single vowel sound. The words scrunch, rose, feet, and boat
are all one-syllable words. Listen as you pronounce each word. You
should hear only one vowel sound, even if there is more than one vowel.
Here are some more examples of words broken into their syllables.
examples

two syllables
three syllables
four syllables
five syllables

mea-sure
con-di-tion
bi-ol-o-gy
se-mi-cir-cu-lar

Understanding how to break words into syllables can help you sound
out unfamiliar words and spell them correctly. There is no one correct
way to divide syllables, and sometimes you will see the same word
divided two different ways. There are some general guidelines, however.
Here are a few. V stands for vowel an C stands for consonant.

Digraphs and Diphthongs
A consonant digraph consists of two consonants that combine to

make a single sound. Examples of consonant digraphs include ch,
sh, th, wh, ph, and gh. A vowel digraph (or vowel team) consists of
two vowels that combine to make a single sound (ee, ea, ai, ay, oa,
ow as in own). A diphthong consists of two vowels side-by-side that
combine to form a new sound such as au, oo, oi, and oy. Learning the
digraphs and diphthongs can help you pronounce words correctly and
make educated guesses about how to spell new words. When dividing
syllables, the two letters that make up a digraph or a diphthong should
never be separated.
dish-tow-el

pit-cher

Constant Blends
When three consonants occur together, the trick is to figure out which
of the two consonants go together in a consonant digraph or a blend. A
consonant blend consists of two consonants side by side with sounds
that run together. Some examples include br, cr, dr, nd, nt, pl, sl, sc, st,
and sw. Separate the syllables to one side of the consonant digraph or
blend; never split the digraph or blend itself.
wran-gler
spin-ster

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an-swer
hand-bag

ant-hill
east-ward

Exceeding the Standards: Vocabulary & Spelling

Word of the Week
phase (f6z) n., part of a cycle
Many people believe the ocean
tide is controlled by the phases of
the moon, but no one has ever
explained to me how that would
work.
The word phase formed from the
Modern Latin phases and phasis.
Phasis is derived from the Greek
phasis meaning “appearance,” from
the stem of phainein, which means
“to show, to make appear.” Phasis
was used in English beginning in
1660. The non-lunar application
of the word first appeared
around 1840. The definition of “a
temporary difficult period,” which
usually refers to adolescents,
appeared around 1913.

A syllable is a word part
that contains a single
vowel sound. It is a “chunk” of
sound.

Tip

You can count the
syllables in a word by
placing your hand just under your
chin as you pronounce the word.
The number of syllables in the
word equals the number of times
your chin drops down to bump
your hand.

Tip

Tip

Always divide compound
words between the words.

card-board
face-lift

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As you mark syllable and

vowel patterns, keep an
eye out for vowel and consonant
teams.

Tip

A consonant digraph consists of
two consonants that combine to
make a single sound such as ch,
sh, th, wh, ph, and gh.
A vowel digraph consists of two
vowels that make a single sound
such as ee, ea, ai, ay, and oa.
A consonant blend consists of
two consonants with sounds that
run together such as br, cr, dr, nd,
nt, pl, sl, sc, sch, st, and sw.
A diphthong consists of of two
vowels that combine to make a
new sound such as au, oi ,oy, ou,
ow and oo.
When dividing syllables, never
break up digraphs, consonant
blends, or diphthongs.

Prefixes and Suffixes
Prefixes always form separate syllables.
examples

pro-trude

pre-pare

Suffixes form syllables if they contain a vowel. In addition, the following
guidelines apply to suffixes:
a. –ed is only a separate syllable when it follows d or t
examples

two syllables
one syllable

plotted
dabbed

b. –y picks up the last consonant before it to form a syllable; in other
words, it follows the VC-CV rule
examples

hear-ty

hap-py

Try It Yourself
Rewrite each of the following words, separating syllables with hyphens.
Then, on the line below each word, explain why you broke the word up
in that specific way.
1. lumber
2. produce
3. unseemly

A dictionary entry breaks

the word into parts
divided by dots.

4. vex

syl•la•ble

5. concealment

The dot shows where the word
can be hyphenated if the word
falls at the end of a line of type
and doesn’t fit.

6. flaunt

Tip

Within the pronunciation part
of the dictionary entry, syllable
breaks are indicated by hyphens.
Sometimes these hyphens
correspond to the dots, but
sometimes they do not. Do not be
alarmed when they do not. The
dots typically indicate morphemes,
or units of meaning; the hyphens
indicate phonetic syllable breaks
like those you are practicing here.

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7. bounded
8. headdress
9. stifle
10. saunter

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Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 8

Word of the Week

Syllabication

humbly (h@m‘ bl7) adv., not
proudly; submissively

Understand the Concept

Breaking a word into its syllables can help you to read and spell new words
more easily. It can also help you correctly pronounce vowel sounds.
Breaking a word into its syllables is called syllabication. One way
to divide a word into its syllables is to look for consonant and vowel
patterns in the word. These patterns should signal where the syllable
breaks are. For example, words with the pattern VCCV—that is, with
two consonants in the middle, surrounded by two vowels—tend to
break between the consonants.
lum / ber
VC CV

The young boy walked humbly
across the stage. He preferred
not to make a big deal about his
accomplishments.
Humbly contains three consonants
in a row. One must determine
which of the two consonants go
together in either a consonant
digraph or blend.

Study the following chart. V stands for vowel; C stands for consonant.
Pattern

VCV

How to
divide it
VC / CV
V/CCV

VCC/V
V/CV or VC/V

VCCCV
VCCCCV

VC / CCV
VC / CCCV

VV

V/V

V_silent e

Keep in same
syllable

co • llage

Cle

Keep in same
syllable

ti • tle
chu • ckle

Ced

Only separate
following d or t

wad • ded
chan • ted
dabbed
choked

VCCV

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Examples
lum • ber
ba • sket
tick • et
re • ject
lev • er
wran • gler
an • swer
ob • struct
li • ar
sci • ence

Notes
Divide between consonants, unless the consonants create a
digraph (two letters pronounced as one, such as ch, sh, th, ck).
Divide before or after digraphs (wash • er).

Divide before the consonant (V / CV) unless the vowel is
accented and short. In that case, break after the consonant (VC /
V). Think “That vowel is too short to end a syllable.”
Most words with three or four consonants together in the
middle are divided after the first consonant. Do not separate
digraphs or blends.
If a word has two vowels together that are sounded separately,
divide between the vowels. Do not split vowel teams that work
together to make one vowel sound.
When you see a vowel followed by a consonant or consonants
and silent e, these must stay together in one syllable. The silent
e causes the vowel to have its long sound.
When -le appears at the end of a word, it grabs the consonant
or consonant digraph before it to create a syllable (ble, cle, ckle,
dle, tle, etc.).
The suffix -ed forms a separate syllable only when it follows
d or t. Otherwise, it sticks to the last syllable of the word.

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Remember—the vowels
are a, e, i, o, u, sometimes
y and sometimes w. Y is a vowel

when it sounds like long i or an e
(sly, pretty); when it sounds like
a short i (as in gym); or when
it combines with another vowel
such as a or e to make a vowel
sound (as in play and obey). W
is a vowel when it combines with
another vowel such as a, e, or o to
make a vowel sound (as in paw,
sew, and now).

Tip

Try It Yourself
EXERCISE A

Each of the following words contains a pattern of VCCV or VCCCV.
Label the vowels (except the silent e at the end of a word), then connect
them by labeling the consonants in between. Divide the words into
syllables, being careful not to separate digraphs or blends.
example
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

victim
vccv

vic / tim
vc / cv

nimbly
bounded
pervade
internment
pulsate

EXERCISE B

The following words contain a VCV pattern. Label the vowels and
consonants, and then listen for the sound of the first vowel. If it is
accented and short, divide the word after the middle consonant. In all
other cases, divide before the middle consonant (V / CV).
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

futile
clamor
static
radius
irritant

EXERCISE C

Now try dividing the following words into syllables. Mark the vowels,

then the consonants in between, and follow the other guidelines from
the chart before dividing.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

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demeanor
kimono
distinctness
concealment
intently

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Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

LESSON 9

Pronunciation and Accented Syllables
Understand the Concept
A word with more than one syllable contains at least one syllable that
sounds louder than the others. When a syllable is spoken more loudly
than the others, it is called a stressed syllable. To indicate a stressed
syllable, use an accent mark (´). This mark is placed just before or after
the stressed syllable.
examples

pre - cise´
ob - li - ga´ - tion

Try It Yourself
Use slashes to break the following words into syllables; then, mark the
stressed syllable.

Word of the Week
nuance (n2> 5n(t)s) n., slight
difference or variation
Everyone could tell that Lanaya
was unhappy based on the
nuances in her voice and how she
was standing.
To pronounce nuance properly,
place the stress on the first
syllable, as directed by the
pronunciation guide above. These
guides are helpful when you start
to use new vocabulary in your

everyday speech.

1. prologue
2. resistance
3. enthrall
4. audacity
5. disdain
6. regulate
7. economy
8. heritage
9. insane
10. constructive
11. instability
12. plight
13. tenant
14. veranda
15. assessing
16. bondage
17. elaborate
18. sensible
19. campaign
20. dominate
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