Welcome to the Real Spelling Toolbox!

RefHeader interactivityEd

The Toolbox Overview shows the subject matter of the Toolkits and their Themes. Each one of the Themes is a tool for understanding an aspect or component of the English spelling system. 

Themes are arranged from left to right according to range and intensity.

NO CHRONOLOGICAL SEQUENCE OF KITS OR THEMES IS IMPLIED, INTENDED, OR EVEN POSSIBLE.

Get to know the Overview by regularly revisiting it.


Guide to the Contents of the Toolkits.
Click any box to go to that Theme.

Themes with a strong phonological emphasis

Themes with a strong etymological emphasis

Themes with a strong morphological emphasis

Single Themes that are in 2 or more parts are shown by border colors

  Kit 1 Kit 2 Kit 3 Kit 4   Kit 5 Kit 6

A

 The < i > / < y > relationship (part 1) The trigraph < igh > 2:
vowel + < igh >		 Revisiting basic suffixing patterns Consonant letter doubling with polysyllables   The digraph <ui>
possible candidate for simplified spelling?		 The variable suffix
<-able> / <-ible>

B

 The plural suffix < es > Grapheme alternatives:
< k > / < ck >?
< ch > / < tch >?		 Signs of words from Greek
-1-		 Being more precise; 'free' and 'bound' base elements   Words which have an unexpected <h> Prefixes that have variable forms

C

 When suffixes force doubling (part 1) The letter < n > and the graphemes that contain it Constructing plurals: when the base or stem changes Letters <o> and <u>: conventions that concern them   Fine tuning of the suffixing conventions Eponyms

D

Final, single, non-syllabic < e >

 Homophones 2: single element homophone pairs Several facets of the digraph < ea > Constructing the plurals of words with final <o>   When to use the suffix
<-or> instead of <-er>		 Heteronyms and homographs

E

 The trigraph < igh >
 f / The base elements < sci > and < sign > Using the apostrophe 2: showing possession   Plurals -4-
the finishing touches		 An etymological project: the names of fabrics

F

 The orthographic phonology of the graphemes < c > < k > and < ck > Two important families: the ‘wh- words’,
< them-they-their >		 The <i / y> relationship -2- The suffixes <-ion>
<-ian> <-ity>
   The suffixes <-ery>
<-ary> <-ory>		 Differences between American and British spelling

G

 The orthographic phonology of long A Graphemes for ‘long’ < u > Graphemes for /dζ, the suffix <-age>, final <dge> or <ge> When to use the suffix <-t> instead of <-ed>   Compounds -2- fossils, misbehavers, and chains IPA: International Phonetic Association symbol system

H

 Compounds and their components Letters < w > and < x > and their place in English Orthography The Orthographic phonology of / f / Signs of words from Greek: -2-   Twin base elements Connecting vowel letters

I

 The orthographic phonology of long E Free base elements with final < f > < l > < s > or < z > Learning from the spellings <dissect> <disease> <disaster> Double <c> is rare in English spelling
   Portmanteau words (blends) The grapheme <ugh>
the full story

J

 Learning from the suffix < ed > The suffixes < -er >
< -est > < -ist >		 The spelling of numbers Choosing between final syllabic <le> and <-al>   The twin bases
<cede> / <cess>
<sede> / <sess>		 A project with the word
<privilege>

K

 Learning from the spelling of < love > Learning from the spelling of < was > Homophones 3: Homophones that may be complex Graphemes for the
phoneme / ʃ /		   Homophones -4-
and holorimes		 Words from Arabic

L

 The orthographic phonology of long I long O Naming the days of the week Using the apostrophe 1: Showing omission The suffixes
<-y> <-ie> <-ee>		   An etymological project: words to do with stars Basic phonetics: voiced consonants; the shewa
 

Kits 1 - 4

These kits from Tool Box 2 are currently available in multimedia interactive format with either an annual or lifetime subscription.

  

Kits 5 & 6

These two Kits were never converted to the multimedia interactive format, but each Kit has been converted to the online format