To win Scripps, you need the basics. Greek and Latin combine for a huge chunk of both English words and words asked at Scripps, so it's super important that you know how to spell them.
Greek and Latin being extremely common etymologies means the word panelists at Scripps (the people who decide what words spellers are asked to spell) expect spellers to know how to spell Greek and Latin words. This also means that while simply knowing Greek and Latin patterns will likely get you through the Preliminaries and Quarterfinals, you'll need to understand all of Greek and Latin's quirks to succeed in the Semifinals and Finals.
We need to understand what the patterns are and how they work before we learn how to break them. In this lesson, you'll get a quick glance at Greek and Latin patterns. In tomorrow's live lesson, you'll then learn all the stuff elite spellers know: the hidden connections, rule-breakers, and history behind it all.
| Sound | Symbol | Spelling | Examples | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| /ah/ | a | o | oxygen, geometry, tropical, oxymel | |
| /a/ | a | a | graph, Athens, thermostat, adonize | |
| /ay/ | a | a | agape, pathos, phrase, ergasia | |
| /e/ | e | e | ethnic, cosmetic, metal, stethoscope | |
| /ee/ | e | e or y | academy, geode, acne, eureka | Y based on roots or at end of word |
| /ih/ | i | i or y | idiom, olympiad, syntax, lynx | Y based on roots |
| /ahy/ | i | i or y | biotic, hypothesis, irony, xylophone | |
| /oh/ | o | o | protocol, cosmos, pronoun, geothermal | One of the most straightforward sounds |
| /aw/ | o | o or au | android, orthodox, dogma, autonomy | Au at beginning or in roots; O in /or/ or /oi/ sound |
| /oo/ | u | eu or u | numen, toreutic, plutocracy, boule | Eu common; watch for /yoo/ alternates; ou and eu based on roots |
| /uu/ | u | u or eu | pneumonia, pleura, muroid, hippuris | Often appears with /y/ sound |
| /yoo/ | yu | eu or u | utopia, eucone, eucalyptus, euroclydon | Eu more common; roots important (eu- = good) |
| /k/ | k | ch, k, or c | chorus, kilo, clast, periaktos | Ch is most common |
| /f/ | f | ph | phonic, phase, forb, photosynthesis | Sometimes f if from Latin |
| /j/ | j | g | geography, logic, gymnasium, elegiac | |
| /th/ | th | th | theme, ethos, mathematical, phthisis | Can be phth or chth based on root |
| /t/ | t | t | haptic, topography, patriot, toreutics | Can be pt or ct based on root |
| /s/ | s | s or c | stoic, biopsy, cycle, psammon | S most common; c before y; ps based on root; ss only in middle; sc if related to Latin |
| /z/ | z | s, x, or z | sarcasm, Zeus, xylem, xiphias | X common at beginning; x or z based on root; s in -ism, -asm, -osm endings |
| /n/ | n | n | photon, protein, antipathy, gnomonic | Nn with assimilation; pn, cn, mn, gn based on root |
| /r/ | r | r or rh | absorb, gorgon, hermes, heuristic | Rh at beginnings; rh and rrh based on root |
| /uh/ | schwa | a, e, i, o, u, y | beta, epoch, energy, enthymeme | O connects roots; a at start; e in roots; u in -ium/-eum endings |
| Sound | Symbol | Spelling | Examples | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| /ah/ | a | o or a | object, argue, comment, caveat | Spelled a if "pure"; a before r; o before b or s |
| /a/ | a | a | tact, action, fraction, ambivalent | |
| /ay/ | a | a or ai | air, famous, canine, ecce | Spelled e if "pure"; ai in the last syllable |
| /e/ | e | e | rex, predator, mental, bellicose | |
| /ee/ | e | e or i | legal, obvious, theme, antennae | Ae at end for plurals (antenna > antennae); i in -ium, -ius, -ious |
| /ih/ | i | i or e | fix, legit, rigorous, abyss | Y if related to Greek |
| /ahy/ | i | i | fine, crime, thyme, lycanthrope | Y if from Greek |
| /oh/ | o | o | proceed, donation, prone, coniferous | |
| /aw/ | o | au or o | torture, author, auction, porcine | O when before r |
| /uu/ | u | u | plural, rural, sural, durable | |
| /oo/ | u | u or eu | solution, crude, stupid, hirsute | Eu based on root |
| /uh/ | schwa | a, e, i, o, u | gutta, octopus, planet, caudiform | I connects roots; a at end of words |
| /yoo/ | yu | u, eu | continue, cube, bugle, euge | Ue at end; eu based on root |
| /yuh/ | ya | u | formula, regular, fabulous, rebellion | |
| /k/ | k | c, cc, ch, cch | anchor, accuse, cord, saccharine | Ch if related to Greek; cc with assimilation; c next to i/e only in "pure" words |
| /f/ | f | f, ph | fable, offer, friction, amphitheater | Ph if related to Greek |
| /j/ | j | j, g, d | module, message, schedule, jovial | D next to u/i; g in middle; j at start; all depend on roots |
| /g/ | g | g | gluten, glutton, gladiator, peregrinate | |
| /kw/ | kw | qu | equal, aquatic, qualify, equine | |
| /ks/ or /gz/ | ks/gz | x | exact, crux, axis, toxemia | |
| /s/ | s | s, sc, c+i/e, ss | science, tense, conceal, concuss | S doubled with assimilation; c next to e sounds; sc/ss based on root; c+e at end |
| /z/ | z | z, s, x | nasal, lens, horizon, xiphias | S if only Latin; z or x if related to Greek |
| /sh/ | sh | t, c, sc, s, ss | social, caution, mission, conscience | Based on root and ending (esp. -tious or -cious) |
| /ch/ | ch | t, ch | capture, culture, rapture, capitulate | T especially next to u |
Review these so you get a solid foundation for how Greek and Latin words are spelled. As you look through more words, try to compare each sound to the tables here, understanding why each sound is spelled the way it is. Take note of any exceptions you see. There's a good chance tomorrow's live lesson will explain them in ways you may not expect.