There are some letters that we don't find at the end of native English words. Do you know what they are? Knowing these can help with English spelling. Use this PowerPoint yourself if you have problems with English spelling. Teachers, it's especially designed for you to use in class. If you'd prefer a version of this with a little useful animation (information appearing on a click rather than all at once - better for classroom teaching) please access it at: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9063559/Word%20endings.ppsx . Remember there are lots more spelling resources on The Spelling Blog thespellingblog.blogspot.com and in my book (see blog)

1. Never-ending letters
English word endings
Johanna Stirling
The Spelling Blog
thespellingblog.blogspot.com

2. There are some letters that are not
usually found at the end of native
English words. 1
Any ideas which ones?

3. Test it
Try to think of at least one word ending in each of
the letters of the alphabet. There are 5 letters
that are not usually found at the end of words.
Which ones?
A sea H O V
B I P W
C J Q X
D K R Y
E L S Z
F M T
G N U

4. Check it
A sea H fish O go V
B rob I P sleep W few
C basic J Q X box
D walked K duck R teacher Y say
E make L ball S kiss Z buzz
F of M jam T rest
G leg N win U*
*Except you

5. So...
Native English words almost never end with
these letters:
i j q u v
(Exception words, like chilli, raj, Iraq, gnu and spiv have all come into the
English language relatively recently from other languages, and their
spelling wasn’t changed, or they are shortened forms like taxi – from
taxicab)

6. At the end of a word,
instead of i, we sometimes use y
silly happy reply
But we only use y at the end of these words, not in
silliness, happiest, replied
2

7. What letters can we use at the end of
a word instead of these:
j?
q?
u?
v?
(Think of words that end in these sounds)

8. Because we don’t use j at the end of words, which
three letters do we often write? Complete the words.
b_____ j____ b____
f_____ h____ k________

9. At the end of a word, we can’t use j, so we
often use - dge
bridge judge badge
fridge hedge knowledge

10. Because we don’t use q at the end of words, which two or
three letters do we often write? Complete the words.
1/1
m_____ u_____ a______
d___ k___ S____

11. At the end of a word, we can’t use q,
so we sometimes use –que ...
1/1
mosque unique antique
... or -ck after a single vowel
duck kick snack

12. Not final q, but...
m____ m____ a_______
t____ b___ s____

13. Instead of q at the end of a word, we also
sometimes use – c (usually after i)
music magic academic
or –k
after a consonant or two vowels
think book steak

14. At the end of a word, we don’t
usually use u3, so which letter do we
often add? Complete the words.
b___ a____
T/F
a_____ t___

15. To stop a word ending in u, we usually add an
–e
blue argue
T/F
avenue true

16. At the end of a word, we don’t use v,
so which letter do we often add?
l___ t_____
g___ s_____

17. To stop a word ending in v, we usually add an
–e
love twelve
give sleeve
4

18. How many of the words on the
next slide can you remember?
Write sentences. Include at least 2
of the words in each one.
or
Write a story. Use as many of the
words as possible in your story.

20. Teachers - for lots more ideas see
my book:
Teaching Spelling
to English Language Learners
Details, preview and purchasing
at
The Spelling Blog
thespellingblog.blogspot.com

21. Footnotes
1. Around the 17th century, English spelling became
more standardised. Several spelling rules were made.
Many words that entered English after that kept their
spelling from their original language, such as bureau
from French. These are not native English words.
Back to Slide 2

22. Footnotes
2. Teachers usually talk about final y changing to i
before adding letters to the end of the word. But it
helps to see it the other way round: i changes to y if
it’s at the end of a word.
Back to Slide 6

23. Footnotes
4. There is an e at the end of these words only to stop
the last letter being v. It doesn’t make the vowel
before the v change its sound. Here it is not a so-
called ‘magic e’. Some words, like five, do already
have a magic e, so another e is not needed.
Back to Slide 17

24. Footnotes
3. The only common exception I can find is the word
you.
Back to Slide 14