BOOK 1 • WHEELER'S SPELLER
PRIMARY PHONICS CURRICULUM • LESSON 49
STUDENT PRACTICE WORKSHEET
LESSON 49 • RULE FOR SPELLING • DROPPING SILENT E
Original Page 30 • Base Words in Silent -e
Orthographic Rule: Notice that final silent e is dropped before adding a suffix beginning with a vowel (-ed, -ing).
RULE • DROP SILENT E
Rule for Spelling: Final e is dropped when a suffix beginning with a vowel is added.
Example: hope → hoped, hoping (the silent e is dropped before -ed and -ing).
| Base Word (Silent -e) |
Base + -ed (Drop e) |
Base + -ing (Drop e) |
| hope (example) |
hoped |
hoping |
| wave |
|
|
| love |
|
|
| move |
|
|
| live |
|
|
a.
Is the final e heard or silent in hope, wave, love, move, live?
Answer:
b.
What happens to final silent e when we add a suffix beginning with a vowel?
Answer:
c.
Which is spelled correctly: hoping or hopeing?
Spelling:
1. The sailor was his hand from the ship.
2. The birds in the tall green trees.
3. The family is into their new home.
4. She the sweet flowers we brought her.
📚 Rules to Remember • Lesson 49
Rule 1 • Drop Final Silent E
When a base word ends in silent -e, drop the -e before adding a suffix beginning with a vowel (-ed, -ing).
Rule 2 • Compare with Lesson 48
Consonant-ending words keep their full base (help → helping). Silent-e words drop the e (wave → waving).
Rule 3 • Suffixes with Vowels
Both -ed and -ing begin with vowel letters (e, i), so the silent base e is always dropped before them.