BS Miscreant Posted August 16, 2009 Share Posted August 16, 2009 While attempting to explain to my daughter that some words that produce the /ow/ sound are spelled "ow" and some are spelled "ou" I stumbled upon an apparent "rule"(using the term loosely) that I was never taught. Reminder: This is in no way scientific. Just what I have come up with so far. Words that end with an "n" immediately following the /ow/ sound are spelled "ow" (ex. town). One exception that I can find is "noun". down, drown, clown, crown, gown, etc... Words that have letters that follow the "n" are spelled with "ou". bound, pounce, announce, trounce, ounce, sound, amount, etc... Am I on to something here or way off? Have any of you ever noticed or been taught this? Are there other similar "rules" regarding this sound that involve other letters? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boat_hacked Posted August 16, 2009 Share Posted August 16, 2009 Ou or Ow: Use ou in the middle of a word and use ow at the end of words other than those that end in n or d. Examples: mouse, house, found, mount, borrow, row, throw, crow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egret Posted August 16, 2009 Share Posted August 16, 2009 I was hoping this was going to be a thread about dangling participles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big John Posted August 16, 2009 Share Posted August 16, 2009 (edited) Isn't this a spelling rather than a grammar rule? Edited August 16, 2009 by Big John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BS Miscreant Posted August 16, 2009 Author Share Posted August 16, 2009 Isn't this a spelling rather than a grammar rule? Spelling is part of grammar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BS Miscreant Posted August 16, 2009 Author Share Posted August 16, 2009 "QUOTE Ou or Ow: Use ou in the middle of a word and use ow at the end of words other than those that end in n or d. Examples: mouse, house, found, mount, borrow, row, throw, crow." Thanks for the input but there is one problem here as it pertains to my question/issue... The "ow" in borrow, row, throw and crow produce the long O sound, not the /ow/ (town) sound to which I referred. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clubfoothead Posted August 16, 2009 Share Posted August 16, 2009 wow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Dick Posted August 16, 2009 Share Posted August 16, 2009 wow No, wown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big John Posted August 16, 2009 Share Posted August 16, 2009 No, wown. ohnowens? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxfactor Posted August 16, 2009 Share Posted August 16, 2009 I before E, except after C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big John Posted August 16, 2009 Share Posted August 16, 2009 I before E, except after C. If Einstein was so smart, why did he break this rule twice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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