English for Today by Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (GAB)
On Spelling in English
Spelling refers to the structural forms of individual words as they exist or are used in a language. The mastery of spelling (amongst other things) therefore enhances one’s proficiency of a language. However, spelling in the English language could be so difficult. When users of English think they have stumbled on a pattern that can always be a guide, they tend to see several exceptions that rather discourage them. Let us consider some rules that can help us to spell words correctly in the English language.
1. Doubling of consonants
We can double the consonant of a word as follows:a) Words of one syllable having one vowel and ending in a single consonant, double the consonant before adding a suffix beginning with a vowel: drag-dragged, hid-hidden, hit-hitting, run-running.
2. When the final consonant is w, x or y, it does not double: row-rowed, buy-buying, box-boxing
3. Words ending in ge, retain the e before a suffix beginning with a or o is added: courage-courageous, manage-manageable, outrage-outrageous
4. Words ending in ce, change the e to i before ous: space-spacious, grace-gracious, malice-malicious
5.Words ending in y following a consonant change the y to i before any suffix: apply, applies, study- studied, happy-happily.
To be continued
Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (GAB)
Academic Advisor, Distance Learning Centre, University of Ibadan;
&
Doctoral Student of English, University of Ibadan.
