Literacy Tips

Here are the weekly Literacy Tips from Mr Powell, published in the Student Bulletin.

Tip 2

Confused about the rule for adding s to words, which end in y? Read on.
If the word has a vowel before the final y, (boy; day; donkey), just add s.
• Boy + s = boys
• Day + s = days
• Donkey + s = donkeys

If the word has a consonant before the final y, (baby; jelly; lorry), add ies.
• Baby + s =babies
• Jelly + s = jellies
• Lorry + s = lorries

Tip 2

Unclear about whether the plural of a noun ends in s or es? Read on.
1) Most nouns follow a simple pattern. To make a plural, just add s.
• Balloon + s = balloons
• Meal + s = meals
• School + s = schools

2) If the noun ends in an e, simply add s.
• Shoe + s = shoes
• Tongue + s = tongues
• Spade + s = spades

3) If the word ends with a hissing, buzzing or shushing sound (s/x/ch/sh), add es. This adds an extra syllable and makes the plural form of the word easier to say.
• Box + s = boxes
• Bus + s = buses
• Church + s = churches
• Dish + s = dishes
• Kiss + s = kisses
• Watch + s = watches

Tip 3

Unclear about the rule for adding ing to verbs? Read on.
1) To form the present participle of a verb, you add ing to the end.
• Sing + ing = singing
• Walk + ing = walking
• Talk + ing = talking

2) However, if the verb ends in e, you need to drop the e, before adding ing.
• Hope + ing = hoping
• Make + ing = making
• Love + ing = loving

3) If the verb ends with the pattern of a single vowel and a consonant, you have to double the final consonant, before you add ing.
• Hop + ing = hopping
• Travel + ing = travelling
• Shop + ing = shopping
• Drop + ing = dropping
• Drip + ing = dripping

Tip 4

Unclear about the rule for adding ed to verbs? Read on…
1) To form the simple past tense, (also called the ‘perfect tense’), of a verb, you usually add ed to the end.
• Walk + ed = walked
• Play + ed = played

There are some interesting cases, where alternative forms are acceptable;
• Burn + ed = burned or burnt
• Learn + ed = learned or learnt

2) However, if the verb ends in e, you need to drop the e, before adding ed.
• Hope + ed = hoped
• Escape + ed = escaped
• Love + ed = loved

3) If the verb ends with the pattern of a single vowel and a consonant, you have to double the final consonant, before you add ed.
• Hop + ed = hopped
• Slap + ed = slapped
• Prod + ed = prodded
• Drip + ed = dripped
• Star + ed = starred

4) There are a large number of verbs, where the simple past tense form is irregular;
• Run = ran
• Sit = sat
• Fall = fell
• Sleep = slept
• Catch = caught
• Feel = felt
• Weep = wept
• Stand = stood