Here a few more things you need to know about spelling.

THE APOSTROPHE

We have a couple of uses for a high mark that we call an apostrophe.

CHALLENGE 1: Contractions.

Sometimes we shorten and combine two words and use the apostrophe to show that some letters have been left out. We call these shortened word combinations contractions. Here are some examples:

1. We will read the whole line aloud together and both point to the words.
   
2. I will say each of the keyword contractions, and you say it, write it, and say what words were combined and contracted.

I'm - I am: I'm going home.

it's - it is: It's time to go. + he's, that's, who's

we're - we are: We're not going. + you're, they're

I'd - I would: I'd go if I were you. + we'd, you'd, he'd, she'd

I'll - I will: I'll go if you'll go. + we'll, you'll, they'll, he'll, she'll

don't - do not: You don't need to go. + isn't, doesn't, can't

won't - will not: I won't go if you don't.

CHALLENGE 2: Endings that show ownership.

Here are examples of using the apostrophe to show ownership:

1. We will read each line together as I point to the words.
   
2. You say the keyword and write it.

boy's: The boy's lunch is here. (singular, one boy)

boys': The boys' lunches are here. (plural, more than one boy)

Smith's: Mary is John Smith's wife.

Smiths': The Smiths' house has been sold.

hour's: They fixed the car in an hour's time.

its, hers, theirs (no apostrophe for possession)

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ABBREVIATIONS

Sometimes we shorten or abbreviate a word by leaving off letters and adding a period to show that it is an abbreviation. Here are the ways we abbreviate some titles and other words:

Mr. (mister) and Mrs. (pronounced /mis-iz/ standing for mistress or madam) Jones
Dr. (doctor) Brown
etc. (et cetera, which means "and so on.")
lb. (pound)

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COMPOUND WORDS

A compound word is a combination of two words that act as one. They are tricky to spell because you must remember if they are written as a single word (homework), hyphenated words (two-hour), or separate words (boob tube).

You read each sentence in the next challenges and say and write the compound word:

CHALLENGE 1: Compound words written as single words.

His dog will lick anybody's face.

I must go to the bathroom soon.

He gave himself a pat on the back.

Put the cups in the dishpan in the sink.

Teddy wants to be a fireman when he grows up.

The boys are playing football in the park.

The dog is lying by the fireplace.

CHALLENGE 2: Hyphenated compound words.

She wants her hamburger well-done.

His mother has a part-time job.

Cathy wants to be a baby-sitter.

Could I borrow twenty-five cents?

CHALLENGE 3: Separate compound words.

Look in the living room.
---Compare "living room," "bathroom," and "bedroom."

I would like a dish of ice cream.
---When we write "ice-cream cone," we hyphenate "ice-cream."

Jeff hit a home run yesterday.

Trevor owes the bank four hundred dollars.
---Compare "four hundred" to "forty-four."

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SPELLING LONGER WORDS

In writing one-syllable words it helped to listen for the onset and rime. In longer words it helps to listen for the syllables and decide how to spell them. Each syllable may have an onset and will have a rime.

CHALLENGE 1: Writing the syllables in "yesterday."

1. Listen to the first syllable in this word: "yes-". Say and write the syllable.
   
2. Listen to the second syllable: "-ter-". This syllable is tricky because the /er/ rime can be spelled er, ir, or, ur. In this word it is er. Say and write the "-ter-" syllable.
   
3. Listen to the last syllable: "-day". Say and write the syllable.

CHALLENGE 2: Say the word "after," and say and write each syllable.

CHALLENGE 3: Say the word "tiger," and say and write each syllable.

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TRICKY WORD PARTS

English has borrowed lots of words from other languages. So we have picked up words that are not spelled according to English spelling rules. These words contain tricky word parts.

Script for Next Three Challenges I will say a keyword, point to and say the underlined tricky word part, and read the plus words. We will both say the keyword, and you say and write the keyword in My Word Book.

CHALLENGE 1: The first bunch of tricky word parts.

militia /shuh/) - inertia, minutia
Patricia /shuh/

partial /shuhl/ - initial, martial
racial /shuhl/ - special, social

nervous /uhs/ - joyous, callous

delicious /shuhs/ - spacious, gracious
cautious: cautious, ambitious, nutritious

nation /shuhn/ motion, lotion

sufficient /shuhnt/ - efficient, deficient

nation, partial, racial, sufficient, nervous, delicious

CHALLENGE 2: The second bunch of tricky word parts.

action /chuhn/ - question, mention

actual /choowuhl/ - punctual, spiritual

capture /cher/ - adventure, puncture

religion /juhn/ - region, legion

onion /yuhn/ - union, opinion

cautious, , onion, actual, capture, religion

CHALLENGE 3: The third bunch of tricky word parts.

antique /eek/ - unique, technique

tough /uf/ - enough, rough

thought /awt/ - bought, ought

antique, bureau, tough, thought

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HOMOPHONES

Homophone are different words that sound alike but are usually spelled differently. (homo- means same; phone means sound). We will read each line aloud together as you point to the words.

CHALLENGE 1: Some homophones.

The BOUGH was cut from a pine tree. The captain decorated the ship's BOW with it.

Have you heard the TALE of the careless fox? He lost his TAIL.

This is my RIGHT hand. I WRITE with it.

Did you SEE the sunset? The sun set over a calm SEA.

They live over THERE. THEIR house is big. THEY'RE rich.

Please chop some WOOD. I WOULD if I had an ax.

Freddy went that WAY. He went to WEIGH himself.

CHALLENGE 2: Some more homophones.

There were EIGHT pancakes. Ed ATE the whole stack.

The paint is very PALE. Get another PAIL of paint.

She wanted a NEW dress. I KNEW she would buy it.

Do you KNOW her? NO, I have never met her.

We have an HOUR to spend. OUR time is up.

They saw a big BEAR. It was standing on BARE ground.

CHALLENGE 3: Some more homophones.

She READ a new book. Its cover was dark RED.

Are they all FOR me? Yes, all FOUR of them.

Please come HERE. I can't HEAR what you're saying.

She is a DEAR friend. She saw a DEER jump the fence.

The gravel is very COARSE. Of COURSE it is.

He SENT perfume with a nice SCENT. It didn't cost her a CENT.

CHALLENGE 4: Some more homophones.

The cost was only ten CENTS. The price doesn't make SENSE.

BUY some bread. I need it BY six o'clock. BYE, BYE!

Who WON the prize? John is the lucky ONE.

Go TO the store. I'll go TOO. That will make TWO of us.

Did you WRAP the package well? RAP on it and see.

Did he eat the WHOLE thing? No, but he made a big HOLE in it.

CHALLENGE 5: Some more homophones.

Her small SON went outside. He likes to play in the SUN.

It's a small SUM of money to pay. SOME might not think so.

Don't let anyone STEAL the money. Keep it in a STEEL box.

Which boat is for SALE? It is the one with the red SAIL.

The PLANE just landed. Two cops in PLAIN clothes got off.

Let's MEET at the store. Be at the MEAT counter.

CHALLENGE 6: Some more homophones.

Someone delivered the MAIL. Was the carrier MALE or female?

The sky was BLUE. However, the wind BLEW all day.

I RODE on the bus. The bus nearly went off of the ROAD.

He THREW the ball hard. It went THROUGH the catcher's hands.

She has been ill this WEEK. She feels WEAK.

Her two AUNTS are picnicking. They should look out for red ANTS.

He was as red as a BEET. I told him not to BEAT the drums so hard.

CHALLENGE 7: Other homophones.

base bass; be bee; build billed; board bored; break brake; choose chews; chilly chili; fare fair; flour flower; hall haul; heard herd; heel heal; higher hire; hoarse horse; lain lane; made maid; ring wring; seem seam.

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HOMOGRAPHS

Homographs are different words that are spelled the same. ("Homo-" means same, and "-graph" means a writing.) We will read each line aloud together as you point to the words.

CHALLENGE 1: Homographs that are pronounced the same.

Ted got a BOW and arrows for Christmas. The package was tied with a BOW.

The brass BAND played on. They wore a red BAND on their hats.

A piece of BARK fell off the tree. It made the dog BARK.

He swung his BAT. It scared a BAT flying by.

I CAN go to the store. Get a CAN of corn.

I saw a large black CROW. It made the rooster CROW.

A DUCK flew over my head. It was so low I had to DUCK.

CHALLENGE 2: Homographs that are pronounced differently. Notice that you can not pronounce these words unless you see how they are used in a sentence.

The captain stood on the ship's BOW. He wore a BOW tie.

It's as heavy as LEAD. I will LEAD you to it.

It was a CLOSE race. The other jock couldn't CLOSE /cloze/ the gap.

The TV show is LIVE. I could LIVE without it.

They had a big ROW. It was over who would ROW the boat.

His flesh WOUND is serious. It has bandages WOUND around it.

She had a TEAR in her new dress. It brought a TEAR to her eye.

A DOVE just flew over. It DOVE swiftly through the air.

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