Understanding Three One-Syllable Spelling Generalizations: -ck, -tch,

Teaching children how to read and spell can feel like solving a puzzle—but what if you had a few go-to rules to make those tricky endings a little easier? That’s exactly what these one-syllable spelling generalizations are designed to do.

Let’s talk about three spelling patterns that help children learn when to use the long or short spelling of a sound at the end of a one-syllable word:
➡️ /k/: -k vs. -ck
➡️ /tʃ/ ("ch"): -ch vs. -tch
➡️ /dʒ/ ("j"): -ge vs. -dge

These are great rules to explicitly teach and reinforce using visual supports, word sorts, and games like those in the Bjorem Literacy® Word Sort Series.

A simple way to teach these generalizations is with the phrase:
"Use the long spelling right after a short vowel."

Let’s break this down with examples and nonexamples.

🔤 /k/ Sound: -k vs. -ck

Use -ck at the end of a one-syllable word immediately after a short vowel.
✅ click, jack, duck
Use -k:
- At the beginning of a word: kite, keep
- At the end if the vowel is long or there’s another consonant:
  ❌ peek (long vowel)
  ❌ drink (another consonant follows the vowel)

🔡 /tʃ/ Sound: -ch vs. -tch

Use -tch at the end of a one-syllable word right after a short vowel.
✅ witch, match, pitch
Use -ch in all other cases.
❌ bench (not immediately after the vowel)
❌ beach (long vowel)

🔠 /dʒ/ Sound: -ge vs. -dge

Use -dge after a short vowel at the end of a one-syllable word.
✅ fudge, badge, ridge
Use -ge in all other cases.
❌ hinge (not immediately after a short vowel)
❌ page (long vowel)

These generalizations align with the science of reading and help learners decode and encode words more accurately by building strong connections between phonemes (sounds) and graphemes (spellings). They reduce the guesswork and give children a toolkit they can apply across reading and writing tasks.

These rules are especially helpful when working with:

Early readers
Students with dyslexia
Speech and language students working on phonemic awareness

Looking for an engaging way to teach these rules?
👉 Check out the Bjorem Literacy® Word Sorts for:

-k/-ck Spelling Pattern Word Sort (coming soon or as part of your collection!)
-ch/-tch Word Sort
-ge/-dge Word Sort

Each deck is built with clear visuals, examples and non-examples, and interactive activities to support learners in mastering these generalizations with confidence.