Spelfabet

Learning the building blocks of words - sounds, their spellings, and word parts

Spelling

Example words with link to relevant wordlist

(bracketed words contain the spelling representing two sounds, not one)
h heir, hour, honest
t ballet, buffet, nougat
qu

que

 conquer, liquor, mosquito

cheque, boutique, mosque
sc

sce

 adolescent, scene, muscle

coalesce, convalesce, reminisce
aer

aire

ere

 aerial, aerobics, aeroplane

millionaire, questionnaire, solitare

compere, derriere, premiere
rh rhino, rhubarb, rhyme

diarrhoea, haemmorrhoids
eau bureau, chateau, plateau
x Xerox, xylophone, bureaux, chateaux
th

bt

pt

 Thailand, Thomas, thyme

debt, doubt, subtle

pterodactyl, ptomaine, receipt
mb

mn

 combing, climber, plumber

autumn, column, solemn
lle Braille, gazelle, moselle
de

dh

 Adelaide, aide, blonde

dhal, jodhpurs, Riyadh
ne

nne

 airborne, caffeine, Melbourne

Anne, cayenne, julienne
z

zz

 Fitzroy, klutz, pretzel

pizza, mezzo, mozzarella
ke

kk

kh

cq

cqu

cch

q

 Bourke, Hawke, Guy Fawkes

Nikkei, Hanukkah, trekking

gymkhana, Kazakhstan, khaki

acquaint, acquit, acquire

lacquer, racquet

radicchio, saccharin, zucchini

burqa, Iraq, Nasdaq
eu deuce, Europe, feudal
che

sch

 avalance, niche, panache

pinscher, schlock, schnitzel
x

xc

 (auxiliary, exam, executive)

excellent, except, excited
l in vowel spellings calf, folk, salmon, should, walk
gn (champignons, gnocci, sauvignon)
oi

oir

oire

 (coiffeur, croissant, noisette)

(abbattoir, memoir, reservoir)

(armoire, Cote D’Ivoire, repertoire)
c

cc

ci

 arrivederci, bocconcini, cello

capuccino, fetuccine, focaccia

ciao
wh

j

x

kh

 whosoever, wholesome, whooping

Juan, jojoba, junta

Don Quixote

Khomeini
sse

ç

sth

ps

sw

tz

 crevasse, mousse

Curaçao, façade, garçon

asthma, isthmus

psychic, psychologist

answer, sword, Muswellbrook

waltz
s

ss

ci

ce

sci

shi

chsi

 asphalt, sugar, sure

assure, issue, tissue

appreciate, associate, concerto

crustacean, herbaceous, ocean

conscious, luscious, prosciutto

cushion, fashion

fuchsia
ss

si

ts/cz

 Aussie, dessert, scissors

business, hosiery

Tsar/Czar
fe

ffe

ft

u

 carafe

giraffe, pouffe

often, soften

lieutenant (UK pronunciation)
vv

w

ph

 civvies, divvy, skivvy

Ludwig, Wagner

Stephen
dj

di

gg

 adjective, adjourn, adjust

incendiary, soldier, subsidiary

exaggerate, suggest, veggies
ge

g

ti

z

 camouflage, collage, sabotage

aubergine, courgette, regime

equation

seizure
ngue harangue, meringue, tongue
mme

gm

 aerogramme, femme, programme

phlegm, diaphragm
pb Campbell, cupboard, raspberry
pe cantaloupe, troupe, Thorpe
ct

cht

 Connecticut, indict, victual

yacht
sl

sle

 island

aisle
ll

j

 maillot, tortillas

hallelujah
tth Matthew
x

xi

xe

 (luxury, sexual)

(anxious, complexion, crucifixion)

(annexe, axe, deluxe)
q (Qantas)
e

o

u

ea

ee

 England, pretty, college

women

busy

bream

breeches
o

oul

ou

 bosom, wolf, woman

could, would, should

couscous
ea

ee

ah

ao

 Eammon, Seamus, Yeats

Beethoven, fiancee, matinee

dahlia

gaol
er

au

aa

aar

arre

arrh

 clerk, Jervis Bay, sergeant

auntie, draughty, laughter

baa, salaam, Saab

aardvark, bazaar

bizarre

catarrh
eu

oux

ioux

ooh

oup

 lieu, rheumatism, sleuth

choux, roux

Sioux

ooh, Pooh

coup
ui

eau

uu

 nuisance, pursuit

beauty, beautiful

vacuum
eo

ei

 Geoff, leopard, jeopardy

heifer, leisure