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Skill Explainer

1. Overview of the FLoSS(Z) Spelling Rule

FLoSS(Z) Spelling Rule Skill Explainer

The FLoSS(Z) Rule chant.

Quick Look: A Chant for the FLoSS(Z) Rule

Video thumbnail for Quick Look: A Chant for the FLoSS(Z) Rule
Produced by Reading Universe, a partnership of WETA, Barksdale Reading Institute, and First Book
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whole class: FLoSS(Z) Rule! Immediately after a short vowel, at the end of a one-syllable word, we double 'f', 'l', 's', or 'z'. Yippee!

[music]

Note: FLoSS(Z) (pronounced floss) is a mnemonic device to help students remember which consonants to double: ‘f’, ‘l’, ‘s’, and ‘z’.

Exception to the Rule

Though the FLoSS(Z) rule is generally consistent, there are a few exceptions to the rule:

  • Words that should follow the FLoSS(Z) pattern but do not: chef, if, gal, pal, bus, gas, us, this, yes, quiz

  • Words that should double ‘s’ but do not because the ‘s’ is making the sound of a ‘z’: has, is, was

  • Words that double consonants other than ‘f’, ‘l’, ‘s’, or ‘z’: add, egg, mitt, putt

You can teach these words as irregularly spelled words or rule breakers.

Reading Universe is made possible by generous support from Jim & Donna Barksdale; the Hastings/Quillin Fund, an advised fund of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation (opens in new window); the AFT (opens in new window); the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation (opens in new window); and three anonymous donors.