[The sound of the inflectional endings s and ed depends upon the preceding consonant. Technically, if the ending consonant is voiced, as in "pod," the inflectional ending is voiced, pods/z/. If the consonant is unvoiced, as in "pot," the inflectional ending is unvoiced, pots/s/. The es ending is a separate syllable as in glasses/uhz/.

You will need "My Word Book" with the Basic Keywords, a tablet, pencils, and highlighter. ]

When a dog wags its tail, is it telling us something?

Words also have "tails" that tell us something. Compare these sentences:

The dog likes to run.
The dogs like to run..

in the first sentence we are talking about one dog. How many dogs are we talking about in the second sentence? ---- The "tail" or ending "s" on dog tells us that we are talking about more than one dog. We say that "dog" is singular, meaning one dog, and that "dogs" is plural meaning more than one dog.

Script for Next Challenges Watch as I say and point to the keyword and its parts, and I will read the note below. Read the sentence and the plus words. Say and write the keyword. Highlight in your Basic Keywords the endings studied. Review the words in the challenge: Say each of the keywords as I point to it. Say and write each of the keywords as I dictate it. You have met the challenge, let's celebrate!"

CHALLENGE 1: Plural endings that show that there is more than one.

cats (cat + s pronounced /s--/): The dog ran after the cats. + sacks, puffs, hats
---What does the ending "s" on "cats" tell us?

dogs (dog + s /z--/): I saw the dogs run for the ball. + ribs, beds, rags, hams, hens

dishes (dish + es /uhz/): I will wash the dishes next time. + glasses, matches
---With words ending with ch, sh, s, ss, or zz we add es to show there is more than one.

CHALLENGE 2: Action word endings telling us someone else is doing the action.

walks (walk + s /s/): Benny walks to school. + sips, buffs, flicks
---I walk to school, but Benny walks.

runs (run + s /z/): Sam runs for fun. + stands, sells, robs, hums, skids

washes (wash + es /uhz/): She washes her hair first. + pitches, sasses, razzes

CHALLENGE 3: Word endings telling us that the action is past or is continuing.

grinned (grin + n + ed/d/): Billy grinned when he saw it. + grabbed, sinned, hugged
---We double the ending mouther to keep the closed sound of the first throater.

popped (pop + p + ed /t/): The corn has popped. + cuffed, backed, passed

petted (pet + t + ed /uhd/): Jan petted the cat. + kidded, rotted

stopping (stop + p + ing): Who is that stopping the bus? + singing, falling, seeing

CHALLENGE 4: Endings to make comparison words.

smaller (small + er): Tim is a faster runner than Tom. + smaller, cooler, bluer

fastest (fast + est): Jack is the fastest runner. + smallest, coolest, bluest

CHALLENGE 5: Review - I will read the keywords from one of the previous challenges, and you write them. [Cover all of the keywords in one challenge at a time.]

The dogs chased the cats into the taller bushes.

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