II. The lessons are properly graded, upon the authority of the authors of the best reading-books in the language.

III. All spelling-books heretofore published have taught, in the same lessons, those words pronounced alike, but spelled differently; yet no class of words is more often misspelled. The authors, believing such grouping has had much to do with the faulty spelling, have carefully avoided it by teaching these in separate lessons.

IV. Only unexceptionable rules for spelling are given.

V. The meaning of unfamiliar words is taught by using them in sentences, not by obscure definitions.

VI. The words are printed in plain, bold type, appealing to the mind through the eye.

VII. The Appendix contains 400 test-words, selected from examination papers for High School candidates, and about 600 words selected from editorial pages of the leading New York dailies.

Words showing the sound of syllables containing a, as in

NOTE.- Drill upon pronunciation of words with these endings, especially and, -ant, -act, etc., to bring out the sound of the final letter.

Words having syllables containing e, as in men:

NOTE. There will be no difficulty in getting the pupils to say ox and ex, giving r its proper sound. There is great difficulty in giving the sound of x alone, viz., ks. Much drill should be given upon the above endings.

Words having syllables containing i, as in pin:

NOTE. These words may be used as pattern words for slate exercises. For example, let pupils write all the words they can think of ending in -an, -ad, -ess, -ing, -ick, etc.

Words containing syllables with o, as in on:—

Words containing the sound of u, as in fun:

Words containing a having the sound of o, as in hot:

Words containing y having the sound of i, as in pin:

NOTE. Drill upon pronunciation to articulate clearly the final

consonants.

SLATE EXERCISE. Let the pupils write other words ending in -um, -ub, -uck, -upt, etc., or words containing the letters having the sound of i, o, etc.

Words containing the sound of oo, as in foot:

Words containing the sound of o, as in for:

W oman

ou

could

Words containing the sound of u, as in turn:

Words containing the sound of a, as in late:

SLATE EXERCISES, using the above as pattern words.

Other words containing sounds of a, as in late:

eā

sk ein

Words containing the sound of e, as in eve:

More words containing the sound of e, as in eve:

SLATE EXERCISE.

- Use the above as pattern words.

Pronounce these words carefully and slowly as a drill exercise.

Words containing the sound of i, as in ice:

Words containing the sound of o, as in tone:

ty pe style

Notice that final e, preceded by the long vowel sound, is silent.

- Use these as pattern words.