HSPT: Spelling: use the patterns, then check the hard spots
Learn the spelling patterns behind many commonly missed words, and a quick way to check the letters that usually go wrong.
How do you pick the correct spelling when all four choices look almost right?
Short answer
Apply the pattern the word follows, such as ie or ei, doubling a final consonant, or keeping or dropping a silent e. Then check the word's hard spots one chunk at a time, and memorize the words that break the patterns.
Know first: Vowels and consonants, Prefixes and suffixes
Step 1 of 6
Most misspellings break a pattern
A spelling question shows one word spelled four ways. The wrong versions are rarely random. They usually break a spelling pattern, double a letter that should be single, or leave out a letter that should be there.
Knowing a few patterns lets you rule out choices fast. Spelling is one of the skills the Language section covers, along with punctuation, capitalization, grammar and usage, and composition.
| Pattern | Rule | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| ie or ei | Write i before e, except after c, or when the sound is ay | believe, field, ceiling, deceive, neighbor, weigh |
| Doubling | Double a final consonant before -ed or -ing when the word ends in one vowel plus one consonant and the last syllable is stressed | stop + ed = stopped, begin + ing = beginning, open + ed = opened (no doubling, stress on o) |
| Silent e, vowel suffix | Drop the e before a suffix that starts with a vowel | hope + ing = hoping, write + ing = writing |
| Silent e, consonant suffix | Keep the e before a suffix that starts with a consonant | hope + ful = hopeful, excite + ment = excitement |
| Soft c or g | Keep the e before -able or -ous so the c or g stays soft | notice + able = noticeable, courage + ous = courageous |
Step 2 of 6
Check the hard spots in chunks
Some words follow no rule you can apply quickly. Break them into syllables and check each chunk: def-i-nite-ly, rec-om-mend (one c, two m's), em-bar-rass (two r's, two s's), Feb-ru-ar-y.
A related word can reveal a vowel you can't hear. Define tells you that definite starts with defin. Preside tells you that president has an i after the s.
Step 3 of 6
Apply the pattern, then check each chunk
Worked example: Adding -ed to permit
Choose the correctly spelled word. The coach ___ a short water break.
- Apermited
- Bpermitted
- Cpermmitted
- Dpermitid
- 1
Name the pattern
The word is permit + ed. Permit ends in one vowel plus one consonant, it, and you stress the last syllable: per-MIT. So the t doubles.
- 2
Check the other chunks
The start is per, with one m, and the ending is -ed.
- 3
Explain the wrong choices
Permited skips the doubling. Permmitted doubles the wrong letter. Permitid spells the ending the way it sounds.
Answer
B. permitted
Find the wrong step
A student picks a spelling for this sentence: The light box was easy to carry and ___ for one person.
- 1
Breaks the word into manage + able.
- 2
Drops the silent e because -able starts with a vowel and writes managable.
What went wrong
The e stays after a soft g before -able. Without it, the g would sound hard, as in gable.
- 3
Checks that manage has one n.
The fix
Keep the e to protect the soft g: manageable.
Step 4 of 6
Spell it yourself
Check yourself · Question 1
Choose the correctly spelled word. Our ___ waters the plants when we travel.
Answer: B
The vowel sounds like ay, so it's spelled ei, followed by ghbor.
Check yourself · Question 2
Choose the correctly spelled word. We spent the afternoon ___ a letter to the mayor.
Answer: C
Write ends in a silent e. Drop the e before -ing, and don't double the t.
Trap answer: writting
A familiar double letter
- Why it looks right
- Written has two t's, so a double t looks normal in this word family.
- Why it's wrong
- Write ends in a silent e, so you drop the e and add -ing. The doubling rule only applies to words ending in one vowel plus one consonant.
- The right answer
- writing, with one t.
Check yourself · Question 3
Choose the correctly spelled word. The guide's directions were ___ easy to follow.
Answer: C
It's definite + ly. Define gives the vowels defin, and the silent e stays before -ly, which starts with a consonant.
Common mistake
Spelling a word the way it sounds.
- Why it's tempting
- Many words do match their sounds, so sounding it out feels like the safest check.
- Do this instead
- Unstressed vowels all sound like uh, no matter how they're spelled. Use the pattern, think of a related word, and check each chunk.
Step 5 of 6
What to remember
Remember
- Match the word to a pattern: ie or ei, doubling a final consonant, or keeping or dropping a silent e.
- Check long words chunk by chunk, and use a related word to find vowels you can't hear.
- Memorize the common exceptions, such as weird, seize, argument and truly.
Step 6 of 6
Practice on a real question
Use what you just learned on this question, then check the explanation.
In your own words
In the practice question, which letters were different among the choices, and what pattern or chunk check pointed you to the right one?