vc Rule
A vowel followed by a consonant is short; 
Examples of words following this rule:
log   cat   sit   tug   wet

 cv Rule  - Open Syllables
An open, accented vowel is long; 
Examples of words following this rule:
no   me   so   we   go   hi

Twin Consonants
Twin consonants are two identical letters side by side in a word with only the first letter making the sound.
Examples of words following this rule:
ball   class   stuff 

Consonant Digraphs
A digraph is two or three letters that come together and make one sound.
This is different from a blend.  In a blend the two sounds can be distinguished.
Examples:  ck, ng, th, sh, ch, wh, tch, shr, squ and thr

The digraph th has a voiced and unvoiced sound.  To determine if th is unvoiced or voiced, place three fingers over your throat and say the word.  If you feel vibrations when pronouncing the th, then the th is voiced.   

Vowel Digraphs
A vowel digraph is two letters with the first letter making a long sound and the second letter is silent.  We call this:  "first one does the talking, the second keeps on walking."
ay, ai, au, aw, ea, ee, ie, oa, oi,  oo, ou, ue, ui


The digraph oo has two sounds.  One is the sound heard in hook.  The other sound is the sound heard in tooth. 

vccv Rule
When a word contains more than one vowel, it could follow the vccv or vowel-consonant-consonant-vowel pattern. 
Examples of words following this rule:
napkin   picnic   rabbit

K and C Rules
There are two ways to spell the /k/ sound. 
Spell the /k/ sound with k if the sound comes before e, i, or y.
Examples of this rule:
keg   kid   milky   skip   silky
Spell the /k/ sound with c if the sound comes before a, o, u, or any consonant.
Examples of this rule:
cat   clip   crop   cost   cup
 

Final /k/ Rules
Spell the final /k/ sound with digraph ck after a short vowel.
Examples of this rule:
black   lock   neck   sick   duck
Spell the final /k/ sound with the letter k after a consonant or a vowel digraph.
Examples of this rule:
milk   week   bank   book

v-e Rule
A vowel followed by a consonant and "sneaky e" is long;  code the vowel with a macron and cross out the "sneaky e."
Examples of this rule:
name hope these like rule

Combinations

Final /s/ Rules
After a short vowel, use ss.  Examples are:
boss      miss    grass    dress
After a long vowel, use ce.  Examples are:
ice    space
After a consonant or a vowel digraph, use se.  Examples are:
false   rinse   pulse   loose   horse

Dropping Rule
When a word ends with a "silent e" or "sneaky e", drop the e before adding a vowel suffix.
Ex:  make + ing = making
rule + er = ruler

Dipthongs
A dipthong is two vowel sounds that come together so quickly that they are considered to be only one syllable.
Dipthongs that have been introduced:
oi and oy
ou and ow
Dipthong oi and ou come in the initial or medial position of a word.
Dipthong oy and ow come in the final position of a word.
Ex:  join
boy
mouse
cow

Outlaw Words
Outlaw words contain either the vowels o or i followed by two consonants.  The vowel is long when followed by two consonants.
Ex:  wild
colt
kind
find
both

Ghost Letter Digraphs
We call the "g," "k," and "w" in the digraphs gn, kn, and wr ghost letters to help us remember they used to make a sound but now are silent.
Ex:  knife
gnaw
wrist

Doubling Rule
When a vowel suffix is added to a root word that ends with one vowel and one consonant, the final consonant is doubled before adding the suffix.  Vowel suffixes are ed, ing and y.
Ex:  sit + ing = sitting
Sit ends with a vowel followed by one consonant.
Suffix ing is a vowel suffix.
The ending consonant, "t" is doubled before adding the suffix.