- Here's a tip: if you're not sure about a vowel sound then try to think of another word which comes from the same root. You might be lucky and find one in which the vowel is stressed and this will help you.
The Spelling of the Schwa sound:
Making an educated guess
When a vowel sound isn't stressed then it's often difficult to work out how to spell it.
Read the following words
and listen to way you say the underlined vowels:
relative
cigarette
information
The chances are you didn't pronounce them very clearly. These are examples of the schwa sound and you might
guess that any of the vowels would fit:
a; e; i; o; or u.
relative relation (the -a- is stressed)
cigarette cigar (the -a- is stressed)
information inform (the -or- is stressed)
1. Put the missing vowels in the following words. Then copy the whole word in the third column.
| define | def_nition | |
| sedate | sed_tive | |
| explore | expl_ration | |
| console | cons_lation | |
| preservation | preserv_tive |
2. Now memorize the focus words and test yourself. Concentrate particularly on the underlined vowels.
|
USA
Spelling Books
USA Spelling Books |
<--- Click the appropriate link on the left for my list of recommended spelling books available from Amazon. Roger. <--- Click the appropriate link on the left for my list of recommended spelling books available from Amazon. Roger. |
Roger Smith
information
definition
consolation
relative
exploration
cigarette
preservative
library
sedative
imaginative