Consonant Rules

Consonant Rules: 1.   In English words the letter q is always followed by u and we say "kw." U is                         not considered a vowel in this phonogram. [queen] 2.   In words of French origin, qu is pronounced "k." U is not considered a                         vowel in this phonogram. [mosquito] 3.   C before e, i, or y says "s." [cent, civil, cycle] 4.   G before e, i, or y may say "j." [general, ginger, gypsy] The letters e and i do                         not always make the g say "j." [get, girl] 5.   We often double f, l, and s at the end of one syllable words. [scoff, fill, pass] 6.   Ck is used only after a single vowel which says "a"-"e"-"i"-"o"-"u." [sack, wreck, pick, rock,duck] 7.   Dge is used only after a single vowel which says "a"-"e"-"i"-"o"-"u." [badger, ledge, bridge, dodge, fudge] 8.   Z, never s, is used to say "z" at the beginning of a word. [zebra] 9.   S never follows x. 10. Double consonants within a word of more than one syllable should both be sounded for spelling. [mer ry] 11. Sh is used to say "sh" at the beginning of a word and at the end of a syllable. It is not used at the beginning of most* syllables after the first one, except for the ending "ship." [shell, dish, penmanship]        *This was changed from any to most because of the word "marshal." 12. Ti, si, and ci are used to say "sh" at the beginning of most* (see above) syllables after the first one. [station, mansion, facial] 13. Si is says "sh" when the syllable before it [ses sion] or the base word ends with an s. [tense/tension] Si can say "zh" when s is between two vowels. [vision]