CK vs K

Do I spell it as rock or rok? Both ck and k has the same sound.

This is when teaching the rule that we use -ck at the end of short word after a short vowel would come in helpful!

What is a short word?

A short word is a 1 syllable word such as lock, rack, deck etc. 

What are short vowels?

Short vowels sounds are a(cat), e(elephant), i(igloo), o(octopus), u(up). They differ from long vowels because they do not sound like the letter's name. 

We use -ck instead of -k at the end of a 1 syllable word and after a short vowel, as shown in the example above!

This spelling rule has helped me understand why it is rock and not rok, fork and not forck. Hope it helps you too!