2.3: The Consonant Sound [t]
- Page ID
- 3560
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The two ways of spelling [t] are <t> and <tt>.
Examples
You can hear the sound [t] at the front and end of the word toot.
Review
- Underline the letters that spell [t].
\begin{align*}
& \text{about} && \text{after} && \text{better} && \text{account}\\
& \text{country} && \text{perfect} && \text{didn't} && \text{different}\\
& \text{itself} && \text{great} && \text{kitten} && \text{bottle}\\
& \text{starter} && \text{little} && \text{rabbit} && \text{sister}\\
& \text{vote} && \text{today} && \text{fruit} && \text{setting}\\
& \text{hotter} && \text{bottom} && \text{until} && \text{cannot}
\end{align*} - Now sort the words into these two groups
Words with [t] spelled... <t> <tt>
- Show Answer
-
- Underline the letters that spell [t].
\begin{align*}
& abou\underline{t} && af\underline{t}er && be\underline{tt}er && accoun\underline{t} \\
& coun\underline{t}ry && perfec\underline{t} && didn'\underline{t} && differen\underline{t} \\
& i\underline{t}self && grea\underline{t} && ki\underline{tt}en && bo\underline{tt}le \\
& s\underline{t}ar\underline{t}er && li\underline{tt}le && rabbi\underline{t} && sis\underline{t}er \\
& vo\underline{t}e && \underline{t}oday && frui\underline{t} && se\underline{tt}ing \\
& ho\underline{tt}er && bo\underline{tt}om && un\underline{t}il && canno\underline{t}
\end{align*} - Now sort the words into these two groups
Words with [t] spelled... <t> <tt> about didn't hotter country rabbit little itself fruit bottom starter until better vote account kitten after different bottle perfect sister setting great cannot today
- Underline the letters that spell [t].
Explore More
- Underline the letters that spell [t], [p], and [b].
\begin{align*}
& \text{surprise} && \text{important} && \text{help} && \text{appear}\\
& \text{about} && \text{hobby} && \text{because} && \text{bridge}\\
& \text{prevent} && \text{between} && \text{bottle} && \text{ribbon}
\end{align*} - Sort the words into these three groups and the boxes that follow.
[p] spelled [b] spelled <b> [t] spelled <t> - The word with [p] spelled <pp>...
- The word with [t] spelled <tt>...
- The two words with [b] spelled <bb>
- Two ways of spelling [p] are _______ and _______.
- Two ways of spelling [b] are _______ and _______.
- Two ways of spelling [t] are _______ and _______.
- Show Answer
-
- Underline the letters that spell [t], [p], and [b].
\begin{align*}
& sur\underline{p}rise && im\underline{p}or\underline{t}an\underline{t} && hel\underline{p} && a\underline{pp}ear \\
& a\underline{b}out && ho\underline{bb}y && \underline{b}ecause && \underline{b}ridge \\
& \underline{p}reven\underline{t} && \underline{b}e\underline{t}ween && \underline{b}o\underline{tt}le && ri\underline{bb}on
\end{align*} - Sort the words into these three groups and the boxes that follow.
[p] spelled [b] spelled <b> [t] spelled <t> ">surprise about important ">important because about ">help bridge prevent ">prevent between between "> bottle - The word with [p] spelled <pp>...
appear - The word with [t] spelled <tt>...
bottle - The two words with [b] spelled <bb>...
hobby and ribbon - Two ways of spelling [p] are <p> and <pp>.
- Two ways of spelling [b] are <b> and <bb>.
- Two ways of spelling [t] are <t> and <tt>.
- Underline the letters that spell [t], [p], and [b].
Spelling [t]
About ninety-nine times out of a hundred the sound [t] is spelled either <tt> or <t>.
Examples
Words that have the sound [t] spelled <t>:
\begin{align*}
& tree && painter && craft && container && taxi\\
\end{align*}
Words that have the sound [t] spelled <tt>:
\begin{align*}
& tattle && brunette && flattest && cottage && unbutton\\
\end{align*}
Review
- Underline the letters that spell the [t] sounds in the following words:
\begin{align*}
& \text{telephone} && \text{benefit} && \text{candidate} && \text{tourist}\\
& \text{writer} && \text{artist} && \text{hospital} && \text{tongue}\\
& \text{collect} && \text{vegetable} && \text{electric} && \text{struggle}\\
& \text{technique} && \text{taught} && \text{symptom} && \text{motors}
\end{align*} - Now sort the words into these three groups:
the first sound: the last sound: in the middle: - How is [t] spelled in all of these words? ____.
- Fill in the blank: Usually the sound [t] is spelled _____.
- Underline the letters that spell [t] in the following words:
\begin{align*}
& \text{cattail} && \text{regretting} && \text{bottom}\\
& \text{committed} && \text{outtalk} && \text{attention}\\
& \text{attention} && \text{upsetting} && \text{attend}
\end{align*} - How is [t] spelled in all of these words? _____.
- Show Answer
-
- Underline the letters that spell the [t] sounds in the following words:
\begin{align*}
& \underline{t}elephone && benefi \underline{t} && candida \underline{t}e && \underline{t}ouris \underline{t} \\
& wri \underline{t}er && ar \underline{t}is \underline{t} && hospi \underline{t}al && \underline{t}ongue \\
& collec \underline{t} && vege \underline{t}able && elec \underline{t}ric && s \underline{t}ruggle \\
& \underline{t}echnique && \underline{t}augh \underline{t} && symp \underline{t}om && mo \underline{t}ors
\end{align*} - Now sort the words into these three groups:
the first sound: the last sound: in the middle: telephone collect writer technique benefit artist taught artist vegetable tourist taught hospital tongue candidate electric symptom tourist motors - How is [t] spelled in all of these words? <t>.
- Usually the sound [t] is spelled <t>.
- Underline the letters that spell [t] in the following words:
\begin{align*}
& ca \underline{tt}ail && regre \underline{tt}ing && bo \underline{tt}om \\
& commi \underline{tt}ed && ou \underline{tt}alk && a \underline{tt}ention \\
& a \underline{tt}ention && upse \underline{tt}ing && a \underline{tt}end
\end{align*} - How is [t] spelled in all of these words? <tt>.
- Underline the letters that spell the [t] sounds in the following words:
When [t] is Spelled <tt>
Often the sound [t] is spelled <tt> because of simple addition, twinning, or assimilation.
Examples
The following words have been analyzed to show where the two <t>s come from.
| Word | = Analysis | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| regretting | = re + gret + t + ing | Twinning |
| attractive | = a |
Assimilation |
| outtake | = out + take | Simple Addition |
Review
The following words all contain the sound [t] spelled <tt> because of either simple addition, twinning, or assimilation. Analyze each word to show where the two <t>s come from.
| Word | = Analysis | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1. quitter | = | |
| 2. attendance | = | |
| 3. attempted | = | |
| 4. committee | = | |
| 5. attends | = | |
| 6. cattails | = | |
| 7. submitting | = | |
| 8. regretted | = | |
| 9. fatter | = | |
| 10. attention | = | |
| 11. rattrap | = | |
| 12. fattiest | = |
Mark the VCV or VCC patterns for the first vowel in each of the following words and fill in the blanks, as we have done for later and latter.
| Word #1 | Is the vowel in front of the <t> long or short? | Word #2 | Is the vowel in front of the <tt> long or short? |
|---|---|---|---|
|
13. later |
Long |
latter |
Short |
| 14. writer | written | ||
|
15. cuter |
cutter | ||
| 16. biter | bitter | ||
| 17. fated | fattest | ||
| 18. hating | hatter | ||
| 19. Peter | petting | ||
| 20. motor | otter |
- Show Answer
-
The following words all contain the sound [t] spelled <tt> because of either simple addition, twinning, or assimilation. Analyze each word to show where the two <t>'s come from:
Word = Analysis Reason 1. quitter = quit + t + er Twinning 2. attendance = a d+ t + tend + anceAssimilation 3. attempted = a d+ t + tempt + edAssimilation 4. committee = com + mit + t + ee Twinning 5. attends = a d+ t + tend + sAssimilation 6. cattails = cat + tail + s Simple Addition 7. submitting = sub + mit + t + ing Twinning 8. regretted = re + gret + t + ed Twinning 9. fatter = fat + t + er Twinning 10. attention = a d+ t + tent + ionAssimilation 11. rattrap = rat + trap Simple Addition 12. fattiest = fat + t + y+ i + estTwinning Mark the VCV or VCC patterns for the first vowel in each of the following words and fill in the blanks, as we have done for later and latter:
Word #1 Is the vowel in
front of the <t>
long or short?
Word #2 Is the vowel in
front of the <tt>
long or short?
13. later
vcvLong latter
vccShort 14. writer
vcvLong written
vccShort 15. cuter
vcvLong cutter
vcc
Short 16. biter
vcv
Long bitter
vcc
Short 17. fated
vcvLong fattest
vccShort 18. hating
vcvLong hatter
vccShort 19. Peter
vcvLong petting
vccShort 20. motor
vcvLong otter
vccShort
Explore More
Word Find. This find contains the following twenty words that all have [t] spelled <tt>. Find each in the boxes below.
\begin{align*}&\text{attack} && \text{critter} && \text{flutter} && \text{motto} && \text{putty}\\ &\text{attic} && \text{ditto} && \text{ghetto} && \text{otter} && \text{regatta}\\ &\text{bottom} && \text{ditty} && \text{lettuce} && \text{pattern} && \text{tattoo}\\ &\text{cotton} && \text{flattery} && \text{matter} && \text{petty} && \text{utter}\end{align*}
In nineteen of the words the <tt> is due to the VCC pattern. In one word it is due to assimilation. Which word is that? ________________________
- Show Answer
-
In nineteen of the words the <tt> is due to the VCC pattern. In one word it is due to assimilation. Which word is that? attack
The Sound [t] and Twinning
You twin or double the final consonant of a word that has one vowel sound, or where the last vowel has a strong stress, and ends CVC when you add a suffix that starts with a vowel.
A compound word is a word that contains at least two free stems, or shorter words - for example, blackbird (black + bird) and dogcatcher (dog + catcher). Sometimes the first stem in a compound word ends with a <t> and the second starts starts with a <t>. Where the two parts come together through simple addition, you get <tt>: cat + tail = cattail.
Examples
In those words in which [t] is spelled <tt>, it is usually easy to see why there are two <t>s.
\begin{align*}
& \text{cattail} && \text{regretting} && \text{bottom}\\
& \text{committed} && \text{outtalk} && \text{attention}\\
& \text{attention} && \text{upsetting} && \text{attend}
\end{align*}
In addition to cattail, there is one other compound word in the nine words above that has [t] spelled <tt> because the first stem ends with <t> and the second stem starts with <t>. It has been analyzed below into two free stems.
| Compound | = Free Stem #1 | + Free Stem #2 |
|---|---|---|
| outtalk | = out | + talk |
Review
Sometimes [t] is spelled <tt> because of twinning: upsetting = upset + t + ing.
- What is the suffix in the word upsetting?
- Does this suffix start with a vowel?
- What is the stem to which the -ing in upsetting was added?
- How many vowel sounds are there is in this stem?
- Does the stem end CVC?
- Is there strong stress on the <e> in upset before and after you add the suffix?
- Do you twin the final consonant of upset when you add a suffix like -ing?
- Other than upsetting there are three more words among the nine below in which the <tt> spelling is due to twinning. Find the three words and analyze them to show where the <tt> comes from, as we did with upsetting.
\begin{align*}
& \text{cattail} && \text{regretting} && \text{bottom}\\
& \text{committed} && \text{outtalk} && \text{attention}\\
& \text{attention} && \text{upsetting} && \text{attend}
\end{align*}
| Compound | = Free Stem #1 | + Free Stem #2 |
|---|---|---|
| upsetting | = upset + t | + ing |
- Show Answer
-
- What is the suffix in the word upsetting? -ing
- Does this suffix start with a vowel? yes
- What is the stem to which the -ing in upsetting was added? upset
- How many vowel sounds are there is in this stem? two
- Does the stem end CVC? yes
- Is there strong stress on the <e> in upset before and after you add the suffix? yes
- Do you twin the final consonant of upset when you add a suffix like -ing? yes
-
Word = Free Stem + Suffix upsetting = upset + t + ing committed = commit + t + ed submitted = submit + t + ed regretting = regret + t + ing
The Sound [t] and Assimilation
Three reasons for [t] being spelled <tt> are twinning, simple addition, and assimilation.
When the prefix ad- is added to a stem that starts with a <t>, the <d> assimilates. It changes to a <t>, making two <t>s: ad + t + tain = attain.
Examples
The following words have been analyzed to show where the <tt> spelling comes from.
| Word | = Analysis |
|---|---|
| outtrick | = out + trick |
| attracts | = a |
| fattiest | = fat + t + |
Review
Here are nine words in which [t] is spelled <tt>.
- There are two words in the nine that contain the prefix ad- and a stem that starts with a <t>. Find them and analyze them to show the assimilation that gives us the <tt> spelling, as we have done with attain.
Word = Assimilated Prefix ad- + Stem attain = a d+ t+ tain = + = + - Now sort the nine words into the following three groups.
simple addition assimilation twinning -
Among the nine words in Item 2, the word in which the <tt> is not due to simple addition, assimilation, or twinning is _____________.
Analyze each of the following words to show where the <tt> spelling comes from.Word = Analysis 4. knotty = 5. quitter = 6. attempt = 7. outtake = 8. rattrap = 9. regretted = 10. permitting = 11. attendance = 12. fattest =
- Show Answer
-
-
Word = Assimilated Prefix ad- + Stem attain = a d+ t+ tain attention = a d+ t+ tention attend = a d+ t+ tend -
simple addition assimilation twinning cattail attention committed outtalk attend submitted regretting upsetting -
Among the nine words in Item 2, the word in which the <tt> is not due to either simple addition, assimilation, or twinning is bottom.
Word = Analysis 4. knotty = knot + t + y 5. quitter = quit + t + er 6. attempt = a d+ t + temp7. outtake = out + take 8. rattrap = rat + trap 9. regretted = regret + t + ed 10. permitting = permit + t + ing 11. attendance = a dt + tend + ance12. fattest = fat + t + est
-
The Sound [t] and the VCC Pattern
In the VCC pattern, the vowel will usually be short. In the VCV pattern, the first vowel will usually be long.
These are the short and long vowel sounds:
| Short Vowel Sounds | Long Vowel Sounds |
|---|---|
| [a] as in mat | [ā] as in mate |
| [e] as in met | [ē] as in meet |
| [i] as in mitt | [ī] as in might |
| [o] as in cot | [ō] as in coat |
| [u] as in cut | [ū] as in coot |
| [u˙] as in cook | [yū] as in cute |
Many words that are not compounds and do not contain twinning or assimilation still spell [t] <tt> because of the VCC pattern, just like latter and bottom.
Examples
The word latter has a short first vowel and the VCC pattern.
The word later has a long first vowel and the VCV pattern.
Review
Mark the VCC pattern and identify the vowel sound you hear in front of the <tt> in each of the following words, as we have with bottom:
| Word | Vowel sound in front of the <tt>: |
|---|---|
|
1. bottom |
[o] |
|
2. scatter |
|
|
3. ghetto |
|
|
4. lettuce |
|
|
5. chatter |
|
|
6. kitten |
|
|
7. button |
|
|
8. cotton |
|
|
9. letter |
|
|
10. pattern |
|
|
11. butter |
|
|
12. matter |
|
|
13. bitter |
|
|
14. motto |
|
|
15. tattoo |
|
|
16. symptom |
17. Are the vowel sounds in front of the <tt> long or are they short? ____________
- Show Answer
-
Word Vowel sound in front of the <tt>: 1. bottom
vcc[o] 2. scatter
vcc[a] 3. ghetto
vcc[e] 4. lettuce
vcc[e] 5. chatter
vcc[a] 6. kitten
vcc[i] 7. button
vcc[u] 8. cotton
vcc[o] 9. letter
vcc[e] 10. pattern
vcc[a] 11. butter
vcc[u] 12. matter
vcc[a] 13. bitter
vcc[i] 14. motto
vcc[o] 15. tattoo
vcc[a] 16. symptom
vcc[i] 17. Are the vowel sounds in front of the <tt> long or are they short? short
Words with <ttle> and <tle>
Words like battle that end with the letters <le> right after a [t] sound are a special group.
In words that end with a [t] sound with <le> right after it, the [t] is spelled <t> if it comes right after a consonant or long vowel. However, if the [t] comes right after a short vowel sound, it is spelled <tt>.
Let's look at this in the context of vowel patterns.
The long vowels in words like title may seem to be exceptions to the VCC pattern. But the pattern for words that end <tle> is true for words that end with any consonant followed by <le>. Since there is always a long vowel in every word that ends with a single consonant followed by <le>, we can treat these long vowels not as exceptions, but rather as the result of a smaller pattern within a bigger pattern. We can call it the VCle# pattern. VCle# is another pattern that marks long vowels, like VCV and Ve#.
If there is a short vowel sound right in front of the [t], we use a double <tt> to spell [t] in front of the <le>. We can think of this as another smaller pattern within the bigger VCC pattern. We can call it the VCCle# pattern, which is another pattern that marks short vowels, like VCC and VC#.
In the VCCle pattern the vowel is short, but in the VCle pattern the vowel is long.
Examples
If there is a consonant between the short vowel and the [t], we only need a single <t> because the other consonant will fill out the VCCle pattern, as in words like gentle and mantle.
If there is no other consonant, we need both <t>s, as in words like bottle and little.
Review
- In the words below, underline the letters that spell [t].
\begin{align*}
& \text{battle} && \text{kettle} && \text{bottle} && \text{shuttle}\\
& \text{beetle} && \text{gentle} && \text{startle} && \text{turtle}\\
& \text{mantle} && \text{rattle} && \text{settle} && \text{title}\\
& \text{little} && \text{brittle} && \text{cattle} && \text{tootle}
\end{align*} - Now sort the words into this matrix.
Words in which the [t] comes right after... a consonant: a long vowel: a short vowel: Words with [t] spelled <t> Words with [t] spelled <tt> - Sort the words with short vowels into these two groups:
Words with short vowels in which [t] is spelled... <t> <tt>
- Show Answer
-
- \begin{align*}
& ba\underline{tt}le && ke\underline{tt}le && bo\underline{tt}le && shu\underline{tt}le \\
& bee\underline{t}le && gent\underline{t}e && star\underline{t}le && tur\underline{t}le \\
& man\underline{t}le && ra\underline{tt}le && se\underline{tt}le && \underline{t}i\underline{t}le \\
& li\underline{tt}le && bri\underline{tt}le && ca\underline{tt}le && \underline{t}oo\underline{t}le
\end{align*} -
Words in which the [t] comes right after... a consonant: a long vowel: a short vowel: Words with [t] spelled <t> mantle
gentle
startle
turtle
beetle
title
tootle
Words with [t] spelled <tt> battle
little
kettle
rattle
brittle
bottle
settle
cattle
shuttle
-
Words with short vowels in which [t] is spelled... <t> <tt> mantle battle bottle gentle little settle startle kettle cattle turtle rattle shuttle brittle
- \begin{align*}
Explore More
Word Changes. Remember to follow the directions carefully and write the words you make in the column on the right. The shaded boxes will contain words with which you worked in Item 1 of this lesson. All of the words will end in either <tle> or <ttle>. As you form each word, decide whether it should be spelled with a single or a double <t>.
| 1. Write the word battle | |
| 2. Change the first consonant in the word to the twentieth letter in the alphabet | |
| 3. Change the first consonant back to <b> and change the <a> to <ee> | |
| 4. Change the first consonant in the word to the fifth consonant in the alphabet and change the second <e> to the fourteenth letter in the alphabet | |
| 5. Change the first letter in the word to <m> and change the first vowel in the word to the first vowel in the alphabet | |
| 6. Move the second consonant in the word to the front, delete the <m>, and change the <a> to an <e> | |
| 7. Change the first consonant in the word to the fourteenth consonant in the alphabet, and change the <e> back to an <a> | |
| 8. Change the first letter in the word to the letter that comes right after it in the alphabet, make the second letter in the word a <c>, and change the <a> to the twenty-first letter of the alphabet | |
| 9. Change the first two letters of the word to <br> and change the <u> to <i> |
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Word Changes. Remember to follow the directions carefully and write the words you make in the column on the right. The shaded boxes will contain words with which you worked in Item 1 of this lesson. All of the words will end in either <tle> or <ttle>. As you form each word, decide whether it should be spelled with a single or a double <t>.
1. Write the word battle battle 2. Change the first consonant in the word to the twentieth letter in the alphabet tattle 3. Change the first consonant back to <b> and change the <a> to <ee> beetle 4. Change the first consonant in the word to the fifth consonant in the alphabet and change the second <e> to the fourteenth letter in the alphabet gentle 5. Change the first letter in the word to <m> and change the first vowel in the word to the first vowel in the alphabet mantle 6. Move the second consonant in the word to the front, delete the <m>, and change the <a> to an <e> nettle 7. Change the first consonant in the word to the fourteenth consonant in the alphabet, and change the <e> back to an <a> rattle 8. Change the first letter in the word to the letter that comes right after it in the alphabet, make the second letter in the word a <c>, and change the <a> to the twenty-first letter of the alphabet scuttle 9. Change the first two letters of the word to <br> and change the <u> to <i> brittle
[t] Spelled <ed>
The suffix -ed sometimes sounds like [d], sometimes like [id], and sometimes like [t].
Examples
Look at these sentences below.
He coughs a lot.
Last night he coughed all night long.
When you want to add the meaning “in the past” to a verb, usually you add the suffix -ed.
Review
- Say each of the following words carefully and sort them into the three groups below.
\begin{align*}
& \text{addressed} && \text{approached} && \text{struggled} && \text{shoveled}\\
& \text{adopted} && \text{collected} && \text{enjoyed} && \text{attached}\\
& \text{accomplished} && \text{allowed} && \text{taxed} && \text{announced}\\
& \text{murmured} && \text{assigned} && \text{attended} && \text{avoided}\\
& \text{attacked} && \text{approved} && \text{coughed} && \text{telephoned}
\end{align*}Words in which -ed sounds like ... [id] [d] [t] - Sometimes the [t] at the end of a verb that has the meaning “in the past” is the suffix ______.
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Words in which -ed sounds like... [id] [d] [t] adopted murmured addressed collected allowed accomplished attended assigned attacked avoided approved approached struggled taxed enjoyed coughed shoveled attached telephoned announced -
Sometimes the [t] at the end of a verb that has the meaning “in the past” is the suffix -ed.
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Word Scrambles. This Scrambles contains words that all contain the sound [t]. We have given you a start by filling in the three spellings of [t].
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No. Scrambled Word 1 neebtif b e n e f i t 2 xedat t a x e d 3 sledgimp g l i m p s e d 4 tricecel e l e c t r i c 5 tedtan a t t e n d 6 totoat t a t t o o 7 toekaut o u t t a k e 8 slattaic c a t a i l s 9 stingbumit s u b m i t t i n g 10 wetrir w r i t e r 11 mobtot b o t t o m 12 truelt t u r t l e 13 cattrat a t t r a c t 14 tolthret t h r o t t l e 15 greettred r e g r e t t e d 16 rotte o t t e r 17 tleeng g e n t l e 18 hugelad l a u g h e d 19 beltee b e e t l e 20 cutetle l e t t u c e 21 latett t a t t l e
Some Verbs Ending with <t>
Sometimes the suffix -ed sounds like [t].
Nowadays when we want to add the meaning “in the past” to a verb, we nearly always just add the suffix -ed. But long ago with some verbs the suffix that meant “in the past” not only sounded like [t], it was sometimes spelled <t>. A few of those old verbs are still with us. For example: feel and felt, as in “I feel good now, but yesterday I felt pretty bad.”
Examples
In feel the vowel sound is long.
In felt the vowel is short.
In feel the vowel is spelled <ee>.
In felt the vowel is spelled <e>.
In felt the [t] is spelled <t>.
Review
- In the left column below there are more old past tense verbs with -t. Write out the present tense form for each one and fill in the two columns on the right, as we have done for felt.
How is the vowel pronounced and spelled in... Past Tense Verb Present Tense Verb the present tense verb? the past tense verb? felt feel [e¯] = <ee> [e] = <e> kept slept crept - Here are more verbs that have old past tense forms that end with <t>. This time we've given you the present tense form, and you are to fill in the past tense form:
How is the vowel pronounced and spelled in... Present Tense Verb Past Tense Verb the present tense verb? the past tense verb? deal dealt [e¯] = <ea> [e] = <ea> sweep send mean weep spend build bend lend leave - Here are some more that have more elaborate changes:
How is the vowel pronounced and spelled in... Present Tense Verb Past Tense Verb the present tense verb? the past tense verb? buy bought [i] = <uy> [o] = <ou> catch bring seek teach think
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How is the vowel pronounced and spelled in... Past Tense Verb Present Tense Verb the present tense verb? the past tense verb? felt feel [e¯] = <ee> [e] = <e> kept keep [e¯] = <ee> [e] = <e> slept sleep [e¯] = <ee> [e] = <e> crept creep [e¯] = <ee> [e] = <e> -
How is the vowel pronounced and spelled in... Present Tense Verb Past Tense Verb the present tense verb? the past tense verb? deal dealt [e¯] = <ea> [e] = <ea> sweep swept [e¯] = <e> [e] = <e> send sent [e¯] = <e> [e] = <e> mean meant [e¯] = <ea> [e] = <ea> weep wept [e¯] = <ee> [e] = <e> spend spent [e] = <e> [e] = <e> build built [i] = <ui> [i] = <ui> bend bent [e] = <e> [e] = <e> lend lent [e] = <e> [e] = <e> lose [u¯] = <o> [o] = <o> leave left [e¯] = <ea> [e] = <e> -
How is the vowel pronounced and spelled in... Present Tense Verb Past Tense Verb the present tense verb? the past tense verb? buy bought [i] = <uy> [o] = <ou> catch caught [a] = <a> [o] = <au> bring brought [i] = <i> [o] = <ou> seek sought [e¯] = <ee> [o] = <ou> teach taught [e¯] = <ea> [o] = <au> think thought [i] = <i> [o] = <ou>
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Word Flow. In this flow you can trace out fourteen words: seven present tense verbs and their past tense forms that end in -t.
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| Present Tense | Past Tense |
|---|---|
| bend | bent |
| lend | lent |
| mean | meant |
| send | sent |
| spend | spent |
| sweep | swept |
| weep | wept |
Reasons for Some Unusual Spellings of [t]
The sound [t] is spelled one of these three ways more than ninety-nine times out of a hundred: <t>, <tt>, and <ed>.
If you remember the places where <tt> occurs and remember that -ed is always a verb suffix, you should have little trouble knowing which spelling to use. There are some other spellings of [t], though, that are very rare but still worth looking at.
For instance, The sound [t] is spelled <ght> only after [ī] spelled <i> or <ei>, after [ā] spelled <ai> or <ei>, or after [o] spelled <au> or <ou>. The sound [t] can also be spelled <tw>, <bt>, and <cht>.
[t] = <tw>. The sound [t] is spelled <tw> in only one word: two. Long ago two was pronounced [twō].
[t] = <bt>. The sound [t] is spelled <bt> in only three common words: debt, doubt, and subtle. All three were Latin words, used a long time ago by the Romans. Our word debt comes from the Latin word debitum. Our word doubt comes from the Latin word dubitare. Our word subtle comes from the Latin word subtilis.
[t] = <cht>. Long ago the Dutch called a fast sailing ship a jaghte. The English borrowed the word and spelled it several different ways, including <yaught>. Back then the <gh> was pronounced with a sound a little like our [ch], so in time the <gh> spelling changed to <ch>. But then over the centuries people stopped pronouncing the <ch>, so we now have a word pronounced [yot] and spelled yacht. This is the only word we have in which [t] is spelled <cht>.
Examples
A word in which [t] is spelled <tw> is two.
Three words in which [t] is spelled <bt> are debt, doubt, and subtle.
One word in which [t] is spelled <cht> is yacht.
Review
- Underline the letters that spell [t] in the following words.
\begin{align*}
& \text{alight} && \text{fight} && \text{lightning} && \text{sight}\\
& \text{aught} && \text{flight} && \text{midnight} && \text{sleight}\\
& \text{bought} && \text{fought} && \text{might} && \text{slight}\\
& \text{bright} && \text{freight} && \text{naught} && \text{slaughter}\\
& \text{brought} && \text{fright} && \text{naughty} && \text{sought}\\
& \text{caught} && \text{haughty} && \text{night} && \text{straight}\\
& \text{daughter} && \text{height} && \text{ought} && \text{taught}\\
& \text{delight} && \text{knight} && \text{plight} && \text{thought}\\
& \text{eight} && \text{light} && \text{right} && \text{weight}
\end{align*} - Sort the above words into the following four groups.
Words with... [ī] spelled <i> or <ei>
[ā] spelled <ai> or <ei>
Words with [o] spelled... <au> <ou> - The sound [t] is spelled <ght> only after [ī] spelled _____ or _____, after [ā] spelled _____ or _____, or after [o] spelled _____ or _____.
- Several words related to two contain <tw>, and all have a meaning that includes the idea of “two.” Answer Yes or No to the question, "Do you hear the <w>?"
Word Do you hear the <w>? 4. twice 5. twin 6. twelve 7. between 8. twilight 9. twist 10. twine 11. twig 12. twenty
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- \begin{align*}
& ali \underline{ght} && fi \underline{ght} && li \underline{ght}ning && si \underline{ght} \\
& au \underline{ght} && fli \underline{ght} && midni \underline{ght} && slei \underline{ght} \\
& bou \underline{ght} && fou \underline{ght} && mi \underline{ght} && sli \underline{ght} \\
& bri \underline{ght} && frei \underline{ght} && nau \underline{ght} && slau \underline{ght}er \\
& brou \underline{ght} && fri \underline{ght} && nau \underline{ght}y && sou \underline{ght} \\
& cau \underline{ght} && hau \underline{ght}y && ni \underline{ght} && strai \underline{ght} \\
& dau \underline{ght}er && hei \underline{ght} && ou \underline{ght} && tau \underline{ght} \\
& deli \underline{ght} && kni \underline{ght} && pli \underline{ght} && thou \underline{ght} \\
& ei \underline{ght} && li \underline{ght} && ri \underline{ght} && wei \underline{ght}
\end{align*} -
Words with... [ī] spelled <i> or <ei>
[ā] spelled <ai> or <ei>
alight height night eight bright knight plight freight delight light right straight fight lightning sight weight flight midnight sleight fright might slight Words with [o] spelled. . . <au> <ou> aught naught bought ought caught naughty brought sought daughter slaughter fought thought haughty taught - The sound [t] is spelled <ght> only after [ī] spelled <i> or <ei>, after [ā] spelled <ai> or <ei>, or after [o] spelled <au> or <ou>.
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Word Do you hear the <w>? 4. twice Yes 5. twin Yes 6. twelve Yes 7. between Yes 8. twilight Yes 9. twist Yes 10. twine Yes 11. twig Yes 12. twenty Yes
- \begin{align*}
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Word Changes. Follow the instructions very carefully and then fill in the blanks to complete the sentence at the end:
- Write the word debt: debt
- Change the vowel from <e> to <ou>: _______________
- Change the first consonant to the letter that comes two letters before it in the alphabet, and change the letter before the <t> to <gh>: _______________
- Change the first consonant to the letter that comes right after <s> in the alphabet, and change the first vowel to the first letter of the alphabet: _______________
- Change the first consonant to the second consonant in the alphabet: _______________
- Change the first consonant to the next-to-last letter in the alphabet; delete the second vowel letter; and change the second consonant to the letter that comes four places before it in the alphabet: _______________
The sailor went into (Word #1) when he (Word #3) a (Word #6).
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- Write the word debt: debt
- Change the vowel from <e> to <ou>: doubt
- Change the first consonant to the letter that comes two letters before it in the alphabet, and change the letter before the <t> to <gh>: bought
- Change the first consonant to the letter that comes right after <s> in the alphabet, and change the first vowel to the first letter of the alphabet: taught
- Change the first consonant to the second consonant in the alphabet: caught
- Change the first consonant to the next-to-last letter in the alphabet; delete the second vowel letter; and change the second consonant to the letter that comes four places before it in the alphabet: yacht
The sailor went into debt when he bought a yacht.