whether
Whether begins with wh and contains the written chunk ether. It is the choice word in “whether or not”; weather names conditions such as rain or sunshine.
In a sentence: We wondered whether the game would continue.
4th Grade · High-Frequency Words
4th Grade High-Frequency Words — Set 2
4th Grade High-Frequency Words — Set 2 connects within and however to familiar words, uses the base write in written, and distinguishes whether and whole from sound-alike spellings.
Word list
All 12 words in this list
4th Grade · High-Frequency Words
- since
- whether
- include
- sure
- though
- within
- whole
- written
- common
- reason
- course
- however
12 words
What to notice when spelling these words
Build from familiar words and a related base
Two words join familiar words without changing their spellings: within is with + in, and however is how + ever. The word written uses a different relationship. Connecting it to write explains its meaning and most of its letters, while its note captures the final-e change and doubled t.
Common also needs a doubled consonant: divide it as com-mon and keep mm at the syllable boundary. In include, the written syllables in-clude provide a reliable structure; they are useful spelling chunks here without needing a broader lesson about the word’s history.
Sort the stable vowel spellings
Several words use vowel spellings that stay reliable on the page even when sound alone does not identify every letter. Reason uses ea before son, and course uses our before se. Since ends with ce, with silent e following the s sound represented by c. The notes give more focused attention to ure in sure and ough in though.
Meaning is part of retrieving two spellings. Whether needs wh and differs from weather; whole also needs wh and differs from hole. Their context examples identify the intended word without turning the page into a general lesson on homophones.
Notes for particular words
sure
Sure has the familiar silent-e shape, but its vowel sound is not the usual long u sound. Keep u before r and finish with silent e: s-u-r-e.
though
Though ends with the stable written chunk ough, which represents the long o sound in this word. Attach it to th: th + ough.
whole
Whole begins with wh even though the w is not heard. That opening distinguishes whole, meaning “complete,” from the sound-alike word hole.
In a sentence: The whole class helped with the project.
written
Written is related to write. When en is added, the final e of write is not kept and t is doubled: writ + t + en.