top of page

BARTON SPELLING RULES


Floss Rule = One syllable word, ending in a F,L,S or a Z, you need to double that letter at the end.

Exceptions: gas, bus, yes


Kiss the Cat = This rule applies to the “K” sound at the beginning of a word.  Use a C whenever you can.  You can not use a C if there is a watch out vowel (E,I,Y) coming after the C. If you can’t use a C then use a K.  Never use a CK at the beginning of a word.


Milk Truck = This rule applies to the “K” sound at the end of a word.  Never end a one syllable word using a C. If you have ashort vowel sound coming right before the “K” sound use a CK.  Otherwise use K. Words that end in /kt/ are always spelled ct.


Catch Lunch = This rule applies to the “CH” sound at the end of a word.  Use TCH when you have a short vowel coming right before the “CH” sound, otherwise use CH. Exceptions: such, much rich, which.


Contractions = Two words squished together.  Never change the spelling of the first word, unless it is a weirdo. In the second word leave out the first vowel and any letter in front of it.
Is = ‘s                            The Weirdos
Am = ‘m                         Not = n’t but not can’t
Are = ‘re                        Would = 'd
Have = ‘ve                     Let us = let’s
Will = ‘ll                         Will not = won’t

Syllable Division Rule # 1 = If a word has two vowels not next to each other , it will have two syllables. Find the forst vowel and anyhting before it and drag it to the left. Find the second vowel and anything after it and drag it to the right.  If there is one tile left in the middle, slide it to the second syllable. If it does not make a real word then slide it to the first syllable.


Y = A “Y” at the end of a one syllavle word will say “I”.  “Y” at the end of a two syllable word will say “E”


Syllable Division Rule # 2 = If a word has two letters between the vowel, split them.  If the second letter is an R or L(a rotten letter) do not split them, send them to the second syllable.


Nancy =  When you hear SEE at the end of a word, (most of the time) spell if CY.


Music Trick = Use the Milk Truck rule in multi-syllable words unless the last sound is /ic/.  In multi-syllable words, spell /ic/ as IC.

 

Blends: A blend is two or more consonants, each making its own sound: sl, br, sp, spr, spl...  

Blends can be at the beginning, end, or beginning and end of a word.
 
Digraphs: A digraph is two consonants making just one sound: sh, wh, ch, th, ck
 
Digraph Blend: A digraph blend consists of a consonant next to a digraph: shr, nch, nth….
 
Closed Syllable:  One vowel “closed in” at the end by one or more letters. If closed, the vowel sound is short. The breve (teacup) shows the short sound:  a (apple), e (eddy), i (itchy), o (olive), u (upper).

 

ALL:  A unit. (Group of 3 letters at the end of a word making an unusual sound.)
The /a/ sound is not the /a/pple sound. ALL, OLL (The only word spelled with oll is DOLL.)

 

ING, INK units: Units are groups of 3 letters that appear at the end of a word and make a slightly different sound as a group, than they would individually. NONE of these units has an E.

 

Kind Old Units: Group of 3 letters that make an unusual sound and which always come at the end of a word. The vowel says its own name (long vowel sound).
OLL, OLD, OLT, OST (except lost, frost, cost), ILD, IND

 




 

 

 

 

 

bottom of page