Most of the content of this Quick Reference has remained the same since we first published it in 2011. We have made several more minor additions and clarifications over the years as we continue studying written English, observing new patterns, and refining our teaching concepts. 

Edition History: Phonogram & Spelling Rule Quick Reference

Third Edition (Current Edition) published in 2018. 31 spelling rules, 75 basic phonograms, and 48 advanced phonograms. ISBN 978-1-942154-55-6

Includes the following updates:

• Added the phonogram es, plural noun, and third-person singular verb suffix, which says /ĕz-z/.
• Spelling Rule 7 was expanded, clarified, and split into two parts:
  • 7.1 - Y says /ē/ only in an unstressed syllable at the end of a multi-syllable word.
    7.2 - I may say /ē/ with a silent final E, at the end of a syllable, and the end of foreign words.
• Spelling Rule 6 wording clarification: "When a one-syllable word ends in a single-vowel Y, it always says /ī/."
• Phonograms with Limited Usage lists: several updates and corrections, particularly words where ei says /ī/ and words using ough.

Second Edition published in 2014. Included 31 spelling rules, 74 basic phonograms, and 42 advanced phonograms. ISBN 978-1-936706-69-3

Updated design and layout, plus the following content updates:

• Phonogram i: We added /ē/, as in piano or stadium. This sound of i was previously taught as an advanced phonogram.
• Phonogram x: We added the second sound, /z/, as in xylophone. We had taught this sound as an advanced phonogram, but some teachers like to introduce it earlier because of the prevalence of the word xylophone in children's alphabet books.
• Spelling Rule 10 expanded: "...A may also say /ä/ after a W or before an L."
• Spelling Rule 31 added: 

  • Any vowel may say one of the schwa sounds, /ŭ/ or /ĭ/, in an unaccented syllable or unaccented word. O may also say /ŭ/ in an accented syllable next to a W, TH, M, N, or V.

• Phonograms with Limited Usage lists: several updates and corrections. 
• New advanced phonograms were added.

A few updates appeared in subsequent printings of Second Edition:

• Phonogram ou: added a fifth sound, /ü/ as in could.
• In pronunciation symbols, the vowel sound in do, soon, and flute is now written /ö/, rather than /oo/.
• Spelling Rule 31 was clarified and split into three parts:
  • 31.1 Any vowel may say one of the schwa sounds, /ŭ/ or /ĭ/, in an unstressed syllable or unstressed word.
  • 31.2 O may say /ŭ/ in a stressed syllable next to W, TH, M, N, or V.
  • 31.3 AR and OR may say their schwa sound, /er/, in an unstressed syllable.
• Other spelling rules had wording clarifications.
  • Rule 1 - "C always softens to /s/..."
  • Rule 2 - "G may soften to /j/ only when... 
  • Rule 4 and Rule 12.1 - vowel "name" changed to "long sound"
  • Rule 14 - "accented" changed to "stressed" 
  • Rule 21 - "occasional nouns" changed to "some nouns"
  • Rule 27 - "does not say its name" changed to, "says its short or broad sound" 

First Edition published in 2011. Included 30 spelling rules, 74 basic phonograms, and 34 advanced phonograms. ISBN 978-1-936706-08-2

• The basic phonogram i had only three sounds, /ĭ-ī-y/; i saying /ē/ was listed as an advanced phonogram. The basic phonogram x had one sound, and the phonogram ou had four.