Module Two: Working with Words

The building blocks of any writing, whether for business or social purposes, are words. Failure to use words properly can affect the over-all effect of your prose. In this module, we will discuss the spelling of words, words in context, punctuation, grammar issues in writing, and how to prevent them by creating a cheat sheet.

Module 2

Lesson 1

Spelling

Spelling

Allusion vs. Illusion

Pronounce words properly

International acceptable spelling variations

Friendly rules on spelling

Spelling The use of correctly spelled word is

important in all business writing since you are presenting a professional document. A misspelled word reflects negatively on your image.

Familiarize yourself with commonly misused words particularly sets of words often mistaken for each other . This happens frequently with possessive pronouns and pronoun-linking verb contraction.

Spelling • Examples of possessive pronouns confused

with pronoun-linking verb contraction.

his for he’s (he is)

its for it’s (it is)

your for you’re (you are)

their for they’re (they are)

whose for who’s (who is)

• “there, they’re and their” are homonyms. They have similar sounds.

Spelling Rules Most common spelling rules: 1. ie or ei ? • Write “ie”, when the sound is hard /e/, except

after “c” Examples : achieve, belief, believe, besiege, bier,

brief, cashier, chief, diesel, expedient, field, fierce, financier , grievous, hygiene, lieutenant, mischief, niece, pierce, priest, relief, review, relieve, sapient, species, thief, tier

Exceptions: concierge, society, science, etc. See Notes on Spelling Rules

Spelling Rules

• Write “ei” after “c” when the hard /e/

sound comes after an /s/ sound: Examples: ceil, ceiling, ceinture, conceit, conceited, conceive, deceit, deceitful, deceive , inconceivable, perceive, preconceive, receipt, receivable, receive, receiver, transceiver

Spelling Rules Exceptions to the ‘ie’ rule: counterfeit,

eiderdown , either, foreign, forfeit, height heir, heiress, leisure, neither , protein, science, species, seize, sovereign, weir, weird

• Write “ie” after “c” for words with a “shen “ sound: ancient, conscience, deficient, efficiency, omniscient, proficient sentience, sentient, sufficient, transient

Spelling Rules

• Write “ei” when the vowels sounds like an “ ay” as in 'weigh‘ : beige, deign, eight, feign, feint, freight, neigh, neighbor, reign, rein, sheik , skein, sleigh, veil, vein, weigh, weight.

2. words ending in –cede: accede, antecede, cede, concede, precede, recede, secede.

Spelling Rules • Exceptions to rule #2:

Only one word ends in –sede: supersede

Three words end in –ceed: exceed, proceed, succeed

3. The letter “q” is always followed by the letter “u”. In this case, the “u” is not considered a vowel. Ex. barbeque, squad, quality, quarter, equator, quarrel, queen, question, tourniquet, quote, squirm, quartz.

Spelling

ie or ei?

sh_ _k

2-1a:Direction Fill in the blank with the correct

combination of ie or ei Write the full word in your notebook.

1. God is an omnisc_ _nt Being.

2. This sack w_ _ ghs a ton!

3. Her blouse is b_ _ ge colored but her skirt is red.

4. The fr_ _ght train carries suffic_ _nt armament for the entire army.

5. Harry laughs like a horse’s n_ _gh.

2-1b: Direction: locate the wrongly spelled word in the sentence and write its correct spelling in your

notebook.

1. Does ‘a la carte’ rime with heart?

2. The carburetor is clogged with precipitate of dieisel fuel.

3. A lieutenant has very little liesure time.

4. This operating technique supercedes all other procedures being practiced by surgeons.

5. Your down payment will be forfetied if you cannot make the full payment in three weeks’ time.

2-1c: Direction: Pick out the correct pronoun in the sentence and write it in your notebook.

1) Rollie said that ( his, he’s) waiting for the result of (his, he’s) medical exam.

2) Maia retorted that (its, it’s) clear that (its,

it’s) the driver’s fault.

3) The police reported that (there, they’re, their) still investigating what happened (their, they’re, there) to (their, they’re, there) colleagues.

4) Lisa doesn’t know(whose, who’s) book is this. Is there anyone (whose, who’s) looking for it?

Spelling Rules If you got a score of 3 or less in the

practice exercises, please review the spelling rules before taking the quiz.

Please look over the uploaded spelling rules in Quia and check whether there are other rules you need to include in your Cheat Sheet.

Creating a Cheat Sheet

A cheat sheet is a ready reference of rules you need to remember, written in a brief, simple and easy to understand manner. There are several spelling rules but you need only to take note of the rules governing words that you commonly have problems in spelling. Tables and bullet points make a cheat sheet more effective.

Creating a Cheat Sheet Issue Rule Examples

ie or ei ? • ie except after c • ei after c • ie after c for words with “shen” sound • ei when the vowel sounds like an “ay” as in “weigh” •Take note of exceptions (See Notes)

• achieve, diesel,

shield

• conceive,

receive

• ancient

,efficient

• eight, neighbor

Module 2: Spelling 2-1a:Direction Fill in the blank with the

correct combination of ie or ei Write the full word in your notebook.

1. God is an omniscient Being.

2. This sack weighs a ton!

3. Her blouse is beige colored but her skirt is red.

4. The freight train carries sufficient armament for the entire army.

5. Harry laughs like a horse’s neigh.

Module 2: Spelling

2-1b: Direction: locate the wrongly spelled word in the sentence and write its correct spelling in your noteboo

1. Does ‘a la carte’ rime with heart? rhyme

2. The carburetor is clogged with precipitate of dieisel fuel. diesel

3. A lieutenant has very little liesure time. leisure

4. This operating technique supercedes all other procedures being practiced by surgeons. supersedes

5. Your down payment will be forfetied if you cannot make the full payment in three weeks’ time. forfeited

2-1c: Direction: Pick out the correct pronoun in the sentence and write it in your notebook.

1) Rollie said that ( his, he’s) waiting for the result of (his, he’s) medical exam.

2) Maia retorted that (its, it’s) clear that (its,

it’s) the driver’s fault.

3) The police reported that (there, they’re, their) still investigating what happened (their, they’re, there) to (their, they’re, there) colleagues.

4) Lisa doesn’t know(whose, who’s) book is this. Is there anyone (whose, who’s) looking for it?

Spelling Quiz 1 1. Please proceed to www.quia.com/web

2. On the space provided, enter your log in name, and your password.

3. Under “Quiz”, please select “Lesson 1, Quiz 1”

4. Follow the instructions on the quiz.

5. Follow the same instructions with the succeeding quizzes.