Rule Sort Answer Key

This spelling rule sort worksheet helps students understand why specific digraph patterns appear after certain vowel sounds. Learners sort words into three categories-short vowel + ck, short vowel + tch, and nasal sounds + ng/nk-building strong orthographic awareness and reinforcing accurate spelling conventions.

Key Learning Objectives

• Skill Focus: Identifying and applying spelling rules for ck, tch, ng, and nk
• Critical Thinking Benefit: Develops pattern recognition and rule-based reasoning
• Curriculum Tie-in: Supports phonics, orthographic patterns, and spelling standards
• Application Type: Word sorting activity that reinforces spelling rule understanding

Teacher & Parent Features

• Explicitly teaches why different digraphs are used in English spelling
• Reinforces short vowel and nasal sound spelling patterns
• Ideal for phonics lessons, word study, or small-group instruction
• Supports accuracy in both reading and writing
• Helps students internalize spelling rules for long-term retention
• Suitable for classroom instruction and homeschool learning

This printable spelling rule worksheet strengthens foundational literacy by helping students classify words based on clear orthographic rules. By sorting words into ck, tch, and ng/nk categories, learners improve spelling accuracy, decoding confidence, and understanding of English spelling conventions.

This worksheet is part of our Ending Digraphs Worksheets collection.