Word study: convenience to develop

1 · Learn

Practise a small number of words over several days. First explain the meaning, then inspect the spelling. Look for a familiar root, a changed ending or letters that are hard to hear. Cover the model, write from memory and check. Use the word in your own writing so it is more than a memorised list.

convenience: the quality of being easy or useful for a purpose. Convenience ends ience; remember the i before ence. Read: 'For convenience, the index lists topics alphabetically.'

correspond: to match or agree with something in this sentence. Correspond has double r and ends spond. Read: 'The labels correspond to the colours in the key.'

criticise: to point out faults or make a judgement about. This spelling uses critic + ise; keep one c at each position. Read: 'We can criticise an argument respectfully without insulting its writer.'

curiosity: a wish to learn or find out. Compare curious and curiosity: curiosity drops the u after o and ends ity. Read: 'Curiosity led the pupils to ask another question.'

definite: clear, fixed or certain. Definite has i in both middle vowel positions and ends ite. Read: 'The story gives no definite answer about who left the note.'

desperate: feeling an urgent need or having little hope. Desperate keeps e after p and ends ate; do not omit the middle e. Read: 'The fictional traveller was desperate to find a safe shelter.'

determined: firmly decided and not giving up easily. Determined keeps the root determine without its final e before ed. Read: 'The determined inventor tested another design.'

develop: to grow or improve over time. Develop has one l and no final e. Read: 'Feedback helped us develop a clearer explanation.'

2 · Worked example

To learn convenience, I connect its meaning, the quality of being easy or useful for a purpose, with this spelling detail: Convenience ends ience; remember the i before ence. I write it from memory, compare it and identify exactly which letters need attention. I then use it in a new sentence and check whether the meaning fits.

3 · Your turn

Without looking, write the studied word meaning 'to match or agree with something in this sentence'. Check it against the model. Write your own sentence using correspond and explain the spelling feature you needed to remember.

4 · Apply your learning

Choose two words for a personal practice list. Ask a partner or adult to dictate one supplied sentence after you have discussed its meaning. Proofread the result, then try a new sentence of your own. Revisit the words after a delay and note whether you can use them accurately without the model.