Spelling is the way we combine letters to write words. Learning to spell correctly is part of learning a language. The English language has over 40 sounds, called phonemes, but only 26 letters to represent them. Nevertheless, the several hundred thousand words of the English language can all be spelled with these 26 letters. Correct spelling, like correct speaking, is more than a sign of a person's education. Spelling helps a person communicate thoughts in writing, so others will know quickly and easily what is meant. Any system of spelling and the art and study of spelling are called orthography.
To understand how an alphabet-based spelling system works, say out loud the word bat. Say the word again, and listen carefully for the three sounds that blend together to make up the spoken word. Now, write the word instead of saying it. First, write the letter that stands for the beginning sound of the word, b. Next, write the letter that stands for the middle sound, a. Finally, write the letter that stands for the final sound, t. The letters b-a-t repeat in the same order the three original sounds of the spoken word. This is the spelling of the word bat. Spelling is simply the method of writing letters for spoken sounds. But the historical development of the English language has resulted in many spellings that do not follow the way the words are pronounced.
