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2.11: The Consonant Sound [sh]

Last updated

Jun 15, 2022
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- 2.10: The Consonant Sound [ch]
- 2.12: The Consonant Sounds [f] and [v]

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Overview of the Consonant Sound [sh]

Sometimes [sh] is spelled <sh>, sometimes <t>, sometimes <c>, sometimes <s>.

Examples

You can hear the sound [sh] at the beginning and end of shush.

Review

Underline the letters that spell [sh].
$\begin{align*} &\text{nation} && \text{publisher} && \text{sheep} && \text{fresh}\\ &\text{ocean} && \text{prevention} && \text{sure} && \text{action}\\ &\text{should} &&\text{opposition} && \text{shipment} && \text{fishing}\end{align*}$
In these twelve words
Spelling #1: the sound [sh] is spelled _______ in six words;
Spelling #2: the sound [sh] is spelled _______ in four words;
Spelling #3: the sound [sh] is spelled _______ in one word;
Spelling #4: the sound [sh] is spelled _______ in one word.

Now sort the twelve words into these four groups:

Words with ...
Spelling #1	Spelling #2	Spelling #3	Spelling #4

Four ways of spelling [sh] are _______, _______, _______, and _______. Three ways of spelling [ch] are _______, _______, and _______.

Show Answer

$\begin{align*} & na\underline{t}ion && publi\underline{sh}er && \underline{sh}eep && fre\underline{sh} \\ & ocean && preven\underline{t}ion && \underline{s}ure && ac\underline{t}ion \\ & \underline{sh}ould && opposi\underline{t}ion && \underline{sh}ipmen\underline{t} && fi\underline{sh}ing \end{align*}$
In these twelve words
Spelling #1: the sound [sh] is spelled <sh> in six words;
Spelling #2: the sound [sh] is spelled <t> in four words;
Spelling #3: the sound [sh] is spelled <c> in one word;
Spelling #4: the sound [sh] is spelled <s> in one word.

Words with ...
Spelling #1	Spelling #2	Spelling #3	Spelling #4
should	nation	ocean	sure
publisher	prevention
brush	opposition
shipment	action
fresh
fishing

Four ways of spelling [sh] are <sh>, <t>, <c>, and <s>. Three ways of spelling [ch] are <ch>, <t>, and <tch> .

Spelling [sh]

The three ways of spelling [sh] are <sh>, <ch>, and <sch>. The best known spelling of [sh] is, not too surprisingly, <sh>.

Examples

You can hear the sound [sh] at the beginning and end of the word shush.

An example of [sh] spelled <ch> is parachute.

An example of [sh] spelled <sch> is schwa.

Review

Underline the letters that spell [sh] in the following words.

$\begin{align*} &\text{shepherdess} && \text{horseshoe} && \text{accomplished} && \text{sheriff}\\ &\text{nourish} && \text{kinship} && \text{shocking} && \text{friendship}\\ &\text{selfish} &&\text{shrieked} && \text{aftershock} && \text{publisher}\\ &\text{shoulder} &&\text{distinguish} && \text{shudder} && \text{vanish}\end{align*}$

Sort the words into these two groups.

Words with [sh] spelled <sh> at the...
front of an element	end of an element
shepherdess	nourish
shoulder	selfish
horseshoe	distinguish
kinship	accomplished
shrieked	publisher
shocking	vanish
aftershock
shudder
sheriff
friendship

One common spelling of [sh] is _______, which usually comes at the _______ or at the _______ of an element.
The following words contain two other spellings of [sh] that are not so common as <sh>. Eleven of the words contain [sh] spelled Way #1, and four words contain [sh] spelled Way #2. Underline the letters that spell [sh] in each word.

$\begin{align*} &\text{chivalry} && \text{chaperon} && \text{schlemiel}\\ &\text{crochet} && \text{schwa} && \text{machine}\\ &\text{schnook} && \text{champagne} && \text{chauffeur}\\ &\text{parachute} && \text{mustache} && \text{pistachio}\\ &\text{chagrin} && \text{schlock} && \text{nonchalant}\end{align*}$

chivalry	chaperon	schlemiel
crochet	schwa	machine
schnook	champagne	chauffeur
parachute	mustache	pistachio
chagrin	schlock	nonchalant

Sort the words above into the two different groups described below.
Three ways to spell [sh] are _______, _______, and ________.

Show Answer

$\begin{align*} & \underline{sh}epherdess && horse \underline{sh}oe && accompli \underline{sh}ed && \underline{sh}eriff \\ & nouri \underline{sh} && kin \underline{sh}ip && \underline{sh}ocking && friend \underline{sh}ip \\ & selfi \underline{sh} && \underline{sh}rieked && after \underline{sh}ock && publi \underline{sh}er \\ & \underline{sh}oulder && distingui \underline{sh} && \underline{sh}udder && vani \underline{sh} \end{align*}$

Words with [sh] spelled <sh> at the...
front of an element	end of an element
shepherdess	nourish
shoulder	selfish
horseshoe	distinguish
kinship	accomplished
shrieked	publisher
shocking	vanish
aftershock
shudder
sheriff
friendship

One common spelling of [sh] is <sh>, which usually comes at the front or at the end of an element.
$\begin{align*} & \underline{ch}ivalry && \underline{ch}aperon && \underline{sch}lemiel \\ & cro \underline{ch}et && \underline{sch}wa && ma \underline{ch}ine \\ & \underline{sch}nook && \underline{ch}ampagne && \underline{ch}auffeur \\ & para \underline{ch}ute && musta \underline{ch}e && pista \underline{ch}io \\ & \underline{ch}agrin && \underline{sch}lock && non \underline{ch}alant \end{align*}$

Words with [sh] spelled...
Way#1		Way #2
chivalry	mustache	schnook
crochet	machine	schwa
parachute	chauffeur	schlock
chagrin	pistachio	schlemiel
chaperon	nonchalant
champagne

Three ways to spell [sh] are <sh>, <ch>, and <sch>.

[sh] Spelled <t>

Although we usually think of <sh> as the way [sh] is spelled, actually it is most often spelled <t>.

The letter <t> never spells [sh] at the beginning or end of a word. It only spells [sh] somewhere in the middle. In fact, <t> only spells [sh] right at the boundary between the stem and a suffix, always.

Example

You can see and hear [sh] spelled <t> in the middle of the word nation.

Review

In some of the following words [sh] is spelled <t>; in some it is spelled differently. Underline the letters that are spelling [sh] in each word.
$\begin{align*} &\text{educational} && \text{presidential} && \text{prescription} && \text{accommodation}\\ &\text{impatience} && \text{initial} && \text{repetition} && \text{fraction}\\ &\text{indication} &&\text{possession} && \text{inventions} && \text{dimension}\\ &\text{expression} &&\text{quotation} && \text{exclamation} && \text{affectionately}\\ &\text{missionaries} && \text{extension} && \text{subtraction} && \text{deletion}\end{align*}$

Sort the words into these two groups.

is spelled <t>		is not spelled <t>

The <t> spelling of [sh] is very common, but it only occurs in a certain place in a word. Here are a number of words that contain <t>. Sometimes the <t> spells [sh]; sometimes it does not. In the column labeled ‘<t> spells’ write out the sound that <t> spells in each word, as we have done with judgement and partial.

Words	<t> spells	Words	Words
judgement	[t]	mustache	association
partial	[sh]	conventional	technical
affection		initial	proportion
traffic		nonchalant	examination
nation		extension	reception
impatience		incorrect	deletion
educated		education	appreciation

Sort the words from question #3 into this matrix.

	spells [sh]	does not spell [sh]
Words with the <t> at the front or the end
Words with the <t> in the middle

In the words in this matrix, does the letter <t> ever spell the sound [sh] at the front or at the end of a word? _______.
Whenever <t> spells [sh], where is it in the word? _______.

Show Answer

$\begin{align*} & educa\underline{t}ional && presiden\underline{t}ial && prescrip\underline{t}ion && accommoda\underline{t}ion \\ & impa\underline{t}ience && ini\underline{t}ial && repeti\underline{t}ion && frac\underline{t}ion \\ & indica\underline{t}ion && posse\underline{ss}ion && inven\underline{t}ions && dimen\underline{s}ion \\ & expre\underline{ss}ion && quo\underline{t}a\underline{t}ion && exclama\underline{t}ion && affec\underline{t}iona\underline{t}ely \\ & mi\underline{ss}ionaries && ex\underline{t}ension && subtrac\underline{t}ion && dele\underline{t}ion \end{align*}$

Words in which [sh]...
is spelled <t>		is not spelled <t>
educational	inventions	expression
impatience	exclamation	missionaries
indication	subtraction	possession
presidential	accommodation	extension
initial	fraction	dimension
quotation	affectionately
prescription	deletion
repetition

Words	<t> spells	Words	<t> spells	Words	<t> spells
judgement	[t]	mustache	[t]	association	[sh]
partial	[sh]	conventional	[sh]	technical	[t]
affection	[sh]	initial	[sh]	proportion	[sh]
traffic	[t]	onchalant	[t]	examination	[sh]
nation	[sh]	extension	[t]	reception	[sh]
impatience	[sh]	incorrect	[t]	deletion	[sh]
educated	[t]	education	[sh]	appreciation	[sh]

Words in which <t> ...
	spells [sh]	does not spell [sh]
Words with the <t> at the front or the end		judgement traffic nonchalant incorrect technical
Words with the <t> in the middle	partial affection nation impatience conventional initial education association proportion examination reception deletion appreciation	educated mustache

In the words in this matrix does the letter <t> ever spell the sound [sh] at the front or at the end of a word? No.
Whenever <t> spells [sh], where is it in the word? In the middle.

[sh] Spelled <c>, <sc>, <ss>, and <s>

The eight ways of spelling [sh] are <sh>, <ch>, <sch>, <t>, <c>, <s>, <sc> and <ss>.

Those spellings of [sh] that are always followed by an unstressed and another unstressed vowel are <t>, <c>, <s>, <sc>, and <ss>.

Examples

<c>	<s>	<ss>	<sc>
official	dimension	succession	conscience

Review

Underline the letters that spell [sh] in the following words.
$\begin{align*} &\text{expression} && \text{official} && \text{dimension} && \text{conscience}\\ &\text{social} && \text{suspicious} && \text{succession} && \text{missionary}\\ &\text{consciously} &&\text{financial} && \text{electrician} && \text{possession}\\ &\text{racial} &&\text{intermission} && \text{apprehension} && \text{specifically}\\ &\text{extension} &&\text{suspension} && \text{sufficiently} && \text{mansion}\end{align*}$

Sort the words into these four groups.

Words with [sh] spelled...
<c>	<s>	<ss>	<sc>

Look carefully at your four groups of words and answer the following questions.

When [sh] is spelled <s>, <c>, <sc>, or <ss>, are the next two letters always vowels or consonants or what? _______.
What letter always comes right after the <s>, <c>, <sc>, or <ss>? _______.
Do the vowels after the <s>, <c>, <sc>, or <ss> have weak stress or heavy stress? _______.
There is one more spelling of [sh]. Underline the letters that spell [sh] in these words.
$\begin{align*} &\text{sugar} && \text{assured} && \text{insurance}\\ &\text{fissure} && \text{pressure} && \text{issue}\\ &\text{tissue} && \text{censure} && \text{sure}\end{align*}$ In these words (and pretty much these words only), [sh] is spelled <s> or <ss> with no or second vowel following.
In these words what letter always comes after the <s> or <ss>? _______.
What letter almost always comes after that one? _______.

Show Answer

$\begin{align*} & expre\underline{ss}ion && offi\underline{c}ial && dimen\underline{s}ion && con\underline{sc}ience \\ & so\underline{c}ial && suspi\underline{c}ious && succe\underline{ss}ion && mi\underline{ss}ionary \\ & con\underline{sc}iously && finan\underline{c}ial && electri\underline{ci}an && posse\underline{ss}ion \\ & ra\underline{ci}al && intermi\underline{ss}ion && apprehen\underline{s}ion && spe\underline{ci}fically \\ & exten\underline{s}ion && suspen\underline{s}ion && suffi\underline{ci}ently && man\underline{s}ion \end{align*}$

Words with [sh] spelled...
<c>	<s>	<ss>	<sc>
social	extension	expression	consciously
racial	suspension	intermission	conscience
official	dimension	succession
suspicious	apprehension	missionary
financial	mansion	possession
electrician
sufficiently
specially

When [sh] is spelled <s> <c>, <sc>, or <ss>, are the next two letters always vowels or consonants or what? Always vowels.
What letter always comes right after the <s> ,<c>, <sc>, or <ss>? .
Do the vowels after the <s>, <c>, <sc>, or <ss> have weak stress or heavy stress? Weak.
There is one more spelling of [sh]. Underline the letters that spell [sh] in these words.
$\begin{align*} & \underline{s}ugar && a\underline{ss}ured && in\underline{s}urance \\ & fi\underline{ss}ure && pre\underline{ss}ure && i\underline{ss}ue \\ & ti\underline{ss}ue && cen\underline{s}ure && \underline{s}ure \end{align*}$ In these words (and pretty much these words only), [sh] is spelled <s> or <ss> with no or second vowel following.
In these words what letter almost always comes after the <s> or <ss>? .
What letter almost always comes after that one? <r>.

Explore More

In each of the following pairs of words the <t>, <c>, <s>, <ss>, and <sc> sometimes spell [sh] and sometimes do not. Be ready to discuss why they do not spell [sh] in those words in which they do not.

$\begin{align*} &\text{social} && \text{society}\\ &\text{prediction} && \text{predicting}\\ &\text{finances} && \text{financial}\\ &\text{official} && \text{office}\\ &\text{completion} && \text{complete}\\ &\text{conscience} && \text{science}\\ &\text{physician} && \text{physical}\\ &\text{recess} && \text{recession}\\ &\text{description} && \text{descriptive}\\ &\text{patent} && \text{patient}\\ &\text{partial} && \text{part}\end{align*}$

Overview of the Consonant Sound [sh]

Examples

Review

Spelling [sh]

Examples

Review

[sh] Spelled <t>

Example

Review

[sh] Spelled <c>, <sc>, <ss>, and <s>

Examples

Review

Explore More

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