The Ending “an” or “en” Spelling Rule
The suffixes “-ant” and “-ent” are adjectives, meaning the state of, quality, or condition. Both suffixes also take noun forms: “ance-ancy” and “ence-ency.”
*****
The Ending “an” or “en” Spelling Rule
End a word with “ance”, “ancy”, or “ant” if the root before has a hard /c/ or /g/ sound (vacancy, arrogance) or if the root ends with “ear” or “ure” (clearance, insurance). End a word with “ence”, “ency”, or “ent” if the root before has a soft /c/ or /g/ sound (magnificent, emergency), after “id” (residence), or if the root ends with “ere” (reverence).
Exceptions to the rule: assistance, different, perseverance, resistance, violence
Check out the song! The Ending “an” or “en” Rule
This Old “an” or “en”
(to the tune of “This Old Man”)
If you see, “e-a-r”, or there is a “u-r-e”,
This old man, he played one, he played nick-nack on my thumb
In the root, or if you hear hard c or g,
With a nick-nack paddy-whack, give a dog a bone,
Then spell “ant”, “ance”, or “ancy”.
This old man came rolling home.
If you see, “id” like “fid”, or there is an “e-r-e”
This old man, he played two, he played nick-nack on my shoe
In the root, or if you hear soft c or g,
With a nick-nack paddy-whack, give a dog a bone,
Then spell “ent”, “ence”, or “ency”.
This old man came rolling home.
*****
I’m Mark Pennington, author of the full-year Differentiated Spelling Instruction programs for grades 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. The grade-level programs include weekly tests, based upon conventional spelling rules and developmental spelling patterns, weekly spelling sorts, review games, and audio links to catchy spelling songs. Additionally, the comprehensive diagnostic spelling assessment (audio file included) tests spelling patterns from previous grade levels, and the corresponding worksheets allow you to pinpoint instruction according to individual needs. Each worksheet includes a formative assessment to help you determine whether students have mastered the spelling instruction. The program is simple to implement and doesn’t take up too many valuable instructional minutes. You do have other subjects to teach!
Or why not get the value-priced Grammar, Mechanics, Spelling, and Vocabulary (Teaching the Language Strand) grades 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 BUNDLES? These grade-level programs include both teacher’s guide and student workbooks and are designed to help you teach all the Common Core Anchor Standards for Language. In addition to the Teaching Grammar and Mechanics program, each BUNDLE provides weekly spelling pattern tests and accompanying spelling sort worksheets (L.2), 56 language application opener worksheets (L.3), and 56 vocabulary worksheets with multiple-meaning words, Greek and Latin word parts, figures of speech, word relationships with context clue practice, connotations, and four square academic language practice (L.4, 5, and 6). Comprehensive biweekly unit tests measure recognition, understanding, and application of the grammar, mechanics, and vocabulary components.
The program also has the resources to meet the needs of diverse learners. Diagnostic grammar, usage, mechanics, and spelling assessments provide the data to enable teachers to individualize instruction with targeted worksheets. Each remedial worksheet (over 200 per program) includes independent practice and a brief formative assessment.
Check out the brief introductory video and enter DISCOUNT CODE 3716 at check-out for 10% off this value-priced program. We do sell print versions of the teacher’s guide and student workbooks. Contact mark@penningtonpublishing.com for pricing. Read what teachers are saying about this comprehensive program:
The most comprehensive and easy to teach grammar, mechanics, spelling, and vocabulary program. I’m teaching all of the grade-level standards and remediating previous grade-level standards. The no-prep and minimal correction design of this program really respects a teacher’s time. At last, I’m teaching an integrated program–not a hodge-podge collection of DOL grammar, spelling and vocabulary lists, and assorted worksheets. I see measurable progress with both my grade-level and intervention students. BTW… I love the scripted lessons!
─Julie Villenueve
Get the The Ending ‘an’ or ‘en’ Spelling Rule FREE Resource: