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Unit 2: Spelling the consonant sounds, part 1

Page 10 of 13

Unit 2: Spelling the consonant sounds, Part 1

Unit StartPage 1: IntroductionPage 2: Consonants in one-syllable words: one consonant or two?Course Test: Spelling end consonants: ff ss ll ckPage 4: Spelling end consonants: ff ss ll ckPage 5: Spelling longer words with: ff ss ll ckPage 6: Spelling the /k/ sound at the end of words: c, k 
or ck?Course Test: Spelling choices: ick or ic?Page 8: Spelling choices: ick or ic?Page 9: ick and ic rulebreakers and homophonesPage 10: Spelling the /k/ sound before a vowel: c or 
k?Course Test: Spelling choices for the /k/ sound: c or 
kPage 12: Spelling choices for the /k/ sound: c or 
kPage 13: Rulebreakers for the c/k spellingsUnit End

Page 10 of 13

Spelling the /k/ sound before a vowel: is it c or k?

spell c or k before a vowel? spell c or k before a vowel?
Why is it c in cat... ... but k in kitten?
Teaching point

Did you know, we use /k/ to show this sound that starts both cat and kitten but the most common spelling choice for it is c not k?!

If the vowel after the /k/ is a, o or u, we usually use c:

Examples:

call, carrot
co
py, colour (US color)
cu
p, cucumber

If the vowel is e or i, we usually use k.

Examples:

keep, kettle
kilt, kitchen

If a c is followed by e or i then it makes the /s/ sound.

Examples:

certain
circle, cinema

If the next letter is a consonant e.g. r or l , we almost always use c.

crab, cricket, crumb
club, close, clap

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"This is a fantastic opportunity for our students!  I'm sure Spellzone will be invaluable in helping them to improve their spellings and therefore improve the quality of their writing in all subject areas!"

Teacher, High School, UK