Year 6 English: The ending -tial after a consonant letter, and the exceptions
Part of the Year 6 English spelling -cious, -tious, -cial and -tial chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
The ending -tial after a consonant letter, and the exceptions
Some words end in -tial (spelt t, i, a, l). The -tial ending comes after a consonant letter, such as the n in essential, or the r in partial.
Two words break the pattern: initial has a vowel letter before -tial, and commercial has a consonant letter before -cial. Learn these two exceptions.
Consonant letter before -tial
| Word | Letter before -tial | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| essential | n | absolutely necessary |
| confidential | n | secret, to be kept private |
| substantial | n | large or considerable |
| partial | r | not complete |
| residential | n | where people live |
| potential | n | possible in the future |
| influential | n | having the power to affect others |
Exceptions to learn
| Word | What breaks the rule | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| initial | -tial follows the vowel letter i, so the rule would expect -cial | the first one, at the start |
| commercial | -cial follows the consonant letter r, so the rule would expect -tial | about buying and selling |
Key ideas
- The ending -tial comes after a consonant letter.
- Initial and commercial are exceptions, so learn them.
- The word social follows the vowel rule, because the letter before -cial is o.
Method. Use the meaning, then check the consonant before the ending.
- Use the meaning. Absolutely necessary is the meaning.absolutely necessary
- Check the letter before the ending. The letter before -tial is n, a consonant.essen + tial
- Write the word. Essential means absolutely necessary.essential
- Write the answer. essential
Check. essential follows the consonant rule. ✓
Method. Look at the letter before the ending.
- Find the letter before the ending. The letter before the ending is n, a consonant.confiden
- Apply the rule. A consonant letter before the ending gives -tial.confiden + tial
- Write the word. Confidential means secret, to be kept private.confidential
- Write the answer. confidential
Check. The letter before -tial is a consonant. ✓
Method. Use the meaning, then learn the exception.
- Use the meaning. The first one, at the start, is initial.the first one
- Check the letter before the ending. The letter before -tial is i, a vowel, so the rule for vowels would give -cial.ini + tial
- Learn the exception. Initial has -tial, so it is one of the words to learn.initial
- Write the answer. initial
Check. initial is an exception with -tial. ✓
Watch out. When a word breaks the rule, learn its spelling and say why it is an exception.
Watch out
Watch out: partial ends in -tial, and the letter before it is r, a consonant. Do not write partial with -cial, because the r is a consonant.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Make two lists on paper: words with a vowel before the ending, and words with a consonant before it. Ask your child to put each new word in the right list, then check the exceptions.
Exercise 1D Practice: -tial after a consonant letter, and the exceptions
Method. Think about the meaning, then check the ending.
- Think about the meaning. The meaning is: absolutely necessary.absolutely necessary
- Check the ending. The letter before -tial in essential is n, a consonant, so the ending is -tial.essential
- Write the answer. essential
Check. essential has the meaning given. ✓
Watch out. Say the word, then check the letters that come before the ending.
Method. Think about the meaning, then check the ending.
- Think about the meaning. The meaning is: secret, to be kept private.secret, to be kept private
- Check the ending. The letter before -tial in confidential is n, a consonant, so the ending is -tial.confidential
- Write the answer. confidential
Check. confidential has the meaning given. ✓
Watch out. Say the word, then check the letters that come before the ending.
Method. Think about the meaning, then check the ending.
- Think about the meaning. The meaning is: large or considerable.large or considerable
- Check the ending. The letter before -tial in substantial is n, a consonant, so the ending is -tial.substantial
- Write the answer. substantial
Check. substantial has the meaning given. ✓
Watch out. Say the word, then check the letters that come before the ending.
Method. Think about the meaning, then check the ending.
- Think about the meaning. The meaning is: not complete.not complete
- Check the ending. The letter before -tial in partial is r, a consonant, so the ending is -tial.partial
- Write the answer. partial
Check. partial has the meaning given. ✓
Watch out. Say the word, then check the letters that come before the ending.
Method. Look at the letter before the ending.
- Find the letter before the ending. The letter before the ending is r.partial
- Apply the rule. A vowel letter before the ending gives -cial. A consonant letter before the ending gives -tial.-tial
- Write the answer. -tial
Check. partial ends in -tial. ✓
Watch out. Decide from the letter before the ending, not from how the word sounds.
Method. Look at the letter before the ending.
- Find the letter before the ending. The letter before the ending is n.potential
- Apply the rule. A vowel letter before the ending gives -cial. A consonant letter before the ending gives -tial.-tial
- Write the answer. -tial
Check. potential ends in -tial. ✓
Watch out. Decide from the letter before the ending, not from how the word sounds.
Method. Test each choice against the sentence or the text.
- Read what the question asks for. Decide what the sentence or the text needs.
- Test the choice. The letter before -tial is n, a consonant, so the spelling is -tial.confidential fits
- Reject the other choices. confidencial has the wrong ending for this word.confidencial do not fit
- Write the answer. confidential
Check. The choice fits the sentence or the text. ✓
Watch out. Look at the root word, or at the letter before the ending.
Method. Test each choice against the sentence or the text.
- Read what the question asks for. Decide what the sentence or the text needs.
- Test the choice. Substantial has the consonant n before -tial, so the ending is -tial.substantial fits
- Reject the other choices. substancial has the wrong ending for this word.substancial do not fit
- Write the answer. substantial
Check. The choice fits the sentence or the text. ✓
Watch out. Look at the root word, or at the letter before the ending.
Method. Think about the meaning, then check the ending.
- Think about the meaning. The meaning is: the first one, at the start.the first one, at the start
- Check the ending. Initial is an exception: the letter before -tial is i, a vowel, but it still ends in -tial.initial
- Write the answer. initial
Check. initial has the meaning given. ✓
Watch out. Say the word, then check the letters that come before the ending.
Method. Think about the meaning, then check the ending.
- Think about the meaning. The meaning is: about buying and selling.about buying and selling
- Check the ending. Commercial is an exception: the letter before -cial is r, a consonant, but the ending is still -cial.commercial
- Write the answer. commercial
Check. commercial has the meaning given. ✓
Watch out. Say the word, then check the letters that come before the ending.
Method. Compare the rule with the spelling.
- Find the letter before the ending. In initial, the letter before -tial is i, a vowel.i
- Compare with the rule. A vowel would normally give -cial, but initial is spelt with -tial.initial
- Write the answer. The letter before -tial is i, a vowel, so the rule would expect -cial, but initial is an exception and ends in -tial.
Check. initial is an exception that must be learned. ✓
Method. Find the word that is wrong and check the letter before its ending.
- Find the word that is wrong. Essencial ends in -cial, but the letter before the ending is n, a consonant.essencial
- Write the correct spelling. Use -tial after a consonant: essential.essential
- Write the answer. The essential task must be done before lunch.
Check. essential is spelt with -tial. ✓
Method. Use the meaning, then check the consonant before the ending.
- Use the meaning. Large or considerable is the meaning.large or considerable
- Check the letter before -tial. The letter before -tial is n, a consonant.substan + tial
- Write the answer. substantial
Check. substantial follows the consonant rule. ✓
Method. Use the word to describe a sponsor or a business.
- Choose the subject. The sponsor is the subject.The commercial sponsor
- Finish the sentence. Add a verb and an end to the sentence.paid for the new team kit
- Write the answer. The commercial sponsor paid for the new team kit.
Check. The sentence spells commercial correctly. ✓
Method. Say what the rule would expect, and what the word really does.
- Find the letter before the ending. In commercial, the letter before -cial is r.r
- Compare with the rule. A consonant would normally give -tial, but commercial is spelt -cial.commercial
- Write the answer. The letter before -cial is r, a consonant, so the consonant rule would expect -tial, but commercial is spelt -cial
Check. commercial is an exception. ✓
Method. Use the meaning, then check the consonant before the ending.
- Use the meaning. Where people live is residential.where people live
- Check the letter before -tial. The letter before -tial is n, a consonant.residen + tial
- Write the answer. residential
Check. residential follows the consonant rule. ✓
Method. Look at the letter before the ending.
- Find the letter before the ending. In potential, the letter before -tial is n.n
- Apply the rule. A consonant before the ending gives -tial.potential
- Write the answer. The letter before -tial is n, a consonant, so the ending is -tial.
Check. potential has the consonant n. ✓