Is it ‘ch’ or ‘tch’ Spelling Rules
Although there are plenty of rules in English that can be confusing, one of the most frequent spelling confusions is the tch or ch rule.
Choosing when to use ‘ch’ versus ‘tch’ at the end of words is often muddled up by all levels of student, so the basic rules are as follows.
Use ‘tch’ after a short vowel, as in ‘catch’ or ‘pitch.’ Use ‘ch’ after long vowels, consonants, or two-letter vowels, like in ‘beach’ or ‘march.’ Exceptions exist, so practice and familiarity are key.
This page hopes to make the ‘ch’ and ‘tch’ spelling rules accessible for both teachers to teach and of course for students to learn. We have both a table of examples and more importantly a worksheet with the rules included for download further down in the article as well.
The Basics of ‘CH’ and ‘TCH’
The /ch/ sound, as heard in ‘chase’ or ‘watch,’ is a common phoneme in English. However, its spelling can be tricky, especially when deciding between ‘ch’ and ‘tch.’
The key lies in the sound that comes before /ch/.
Understanding the ‘CH’ and ‘TCH’ Endings
- After a Consonant: Typically, when a word ends with the ‘ch’ sound following a consonant, we use ‘ch’. Examples include words like ‘search’ and ‘church’.
- After a Single-Letter Vowel: When the ‘ch’ sound follows a single-letter vowel (a, e, i, o, u), the spelling is usually ‘tch’. This is seen in words such as ‘fetch’, ‘catch’, ‘pitch’, ‘watch’, and ‘dispatch’.
- After a Two-Letter Vowel or Vowel Team: If the ‘ch’ sound comes after a vowel team (two letters making one vowel sound), the ending is spelled as ‘ch’. Examples are ‘beach’, ‘teach’, ‘crouch’, and ‘touch’.
Table of when to use ‘ch’ or ‘tch’.
We have a table below on the site and in case you want a handout for students ( or yourselves) and we also have this table in our worksheet you can download further down in the additional resources section as well.
| Situation | Rule Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| After a Consonant | Use ‘ch’ when the ‘ch’ sound follows a consonant. | search, church |
| After a Single-Letter Vowel | Use ‘tch’ after a single-letter vowel. | fetch, catch, pitch |
| After a Two-Letter Vowel | Use ‘ch’ after a vowel team (two vowels). | beach, teach, crouch |
Section 2: When to Use ‘TCH’
The rule for using ‘tch’ is relatively simple: it’s used when the /ch/ sound follows a short vowel.
A short vowel is the sound you hear in words like ‘bat,’ ‘leg,’ ‘sit,’ ‘cot,’ and ‘cup.’ When this sound is directly before the /ch/ sound, ‘tch’ is the spelling to go for.
For example, in the word ‘catch,’ the ‘a’ is a short vowel, so ‘tch’ follows it.
This rule is a useful tool for both teaching and learning spelling.
- Teachers can help students identify short vowel sounds in words and practice this rule through exercises and spelling games.
- Students can improve their spelling accuracy by listening for the vowel sound before the /ch/.
Examples of ‘TCH’ Words:
- Catch
- Pitch
- Kitchen
- Match
- Stretch
When to Use ‘CH’
In cases where the /ch/ sound is after anything other than a short vowel, ‘ch’ is used.
- This includes long vowels (like ‘o’ in ‘phone’),
- diphthongs (combined vowel sounds like ‘oi’ in ‘boil’),
- consonants (like ‘l’ in ‘much’),
- and vowel teams (like ‘ea’ in ‘beach’).
It’s important for students to understand the difference between short and long vowel sounds, as this knowledge is key to applying the rule correctly.
Examples of ‘CH’ Words:
- Each (long vowel)
- School (consonant before ‘ch’)
- Peach (vowel team)
- Lunch (consonant before ‘ch’)
- Reach (long vowel)
To help we have a table of examples of the tch and ch words that follow these rules below.
you can download this table on the link below
Exceptions to the Rule
Like many rules in English, the ‘ch’ versus ‘tch’ rule has its exceptions.
While it’s generally true that ‘tch’ follows a short vowel and ‘ch’ is used in other scenarios, there are words that don’t fit neatly into these categories.
For instance, ‘stomach’ and ‘monarch’ use ‘ch’ despite being preceded by a short vowel.
Keeping a list of exception words can be a helpful tool for students. we have one below, fortunately most of these words are unlikely to be common in English students daily lives!
Examples of Exception Words:
| Exception to ch and Tch Words |
|---|
| stomach |
| monarch |
| yacht |
| echo |
| echelon |
| loch |
| pistachio |
| crochet |
| ricochet |
| fuchsia |
Teaching Strategies for Effective Learning
Teaching the ‘ch’ vs. ‘tch’ rule can be made interactive and fun. Here are some strategies:
- Phonetic Games: Use games that involve identifying vowel sounds in words, categorizing them into short and long vowels, and then applying the ‘ch’ and ‘tch’ rule.
- Spelling Bees: Incorporate words that use ‘ch’ and ‘tch’ in spelling bees, providing a fun way for students to practice the rule.
- Reading Aloud: Encourage reading aloud sessions where students can listen for and identify words that contain the ‘ch’ and ‘tch’ sounds.
- Writing Exercises: Assign creative writing tasks where students can use a list of ‘ch’ and ‘tch’ words, reinforcing their learning.
- Visual Aids: Create charts and posters that visually differentiate between short vowel sounds leading to ‘tch’ and other scenarios leading to ‘ch.’
You can download this worksheet, and the rules, on the link below.
Additional Resources
Exploring external resources can significantly enhance the learning and teaching experience regarding spelling rules.
Here are some valuable resources for both teachers and students:
- Educational Websites: Sites like Starfall, SpellingCity, and BBC Bitesize offer interactive spelling games and exercises.
- Apps for Spelling Practice: Apps such as Simplex Spelling and SpellTower are excellent for practicing spelling rules in a fun, engaging way.
- Online Forums and Groups: Participating in online educational forums or teacher communities can provide additional support, ideas, and resources.
- Our resources: we have hundreds of resources here on the site for spelling, grammar and phonics. you can check them out here too.
These tools can be an asset in a classroom setting or for individual study, offering different approaches to mastering the ‘ch’ vs. ‘tch’ spelling rule.
Conclusion
By understanding the basic rules of ch and tch spelling, recognizing exceptions, and trying out various learning strategies and resources, both teachers and students will be able to nail this rule down pretty qwuickjly.
As often confused as it is it is actually one of the more simple English spelling rules out there. ( not sure if thats comforting or scary!)
Further resources
- https://www.theliteracynest.com/2019/02/spelling-words-with-ch-is-it-ch-or-tch.html
- https://www.fiveways-primary-school.org.uk/admin/ckfinder/userfiles/files/Alternate%20’ch’.pdf
- https://www.spellzone.com/unit-04/page8.cfm
Making English Fun!
I have been a teacher of English for over 15 years, in that time i made hundreds and thousands of resources and learnt so much i think its worth sharing. Hopefully to help teachers and parents around the world.
