-cial or -tial rules & patterns

-cial and -tial endings usually sound the same "shul"

special, confidential, initial, official

If you're wondering why we have these two when one would do! It's all about the French and Latin origins of these words and the t or c in the original word:
potential - from late Latin potentialis, from potentia 'power', from potent- 'being able'
facial - from medieval Latin facialis, from facies
initial - from Latin initialis, from initium 'beginning'

(You don't need to know French and Latin but it's always good to know why spellings and words are the way they are.)

There's a rule about which one to use but like all rules there are exceptions.

What's the letter before these -cial words: social, special, beneficial?

What's the letter before these -tial words: essential, substantial, partial?

Rule: 

Use -cial after a vowel, like after the vowel 'o' in social, 'e' in special, 'i' in beneficial

Use -tial after a consonant, especially, after 'n' in substantial, essential, and 'r' in partial   

***

vowel + cial =
social, special, official, crucial, judicial, artificial, racial, beneficial, superficial, unofficial, facial, glacial, especially, specially, sacrificial, prejudicial, antisocial, multiracial.

especially and specially are very common usage words. They mean the same thing but especially is used more in writing and formally. To remember the spellings try breaking them down    e + special + ly = especially,  special + ly = specially

exceptions - consonant + cial:
financial commercial provincial
because the root words end in -ce (finance - financial, commerce - commercial, province - provincial) 

-tial patterns

-ntial   
potential, essential, substantial, residential, presidential, influential, differential, confidential, sequential, preferential, consequential, celestial, existential, circumstantial, prudential, torrential, referential, exponential, inconsequential, insubstantial, experiential, quintessential, evidential, deferential, credential

-rtial =  martial, impartial, partial

-ptial = nuptial, prenuptial

Exceptions: vowels + tial = initial, spatial, palatial 

The word “controversial” is controversial because it contradicts all the rules and is spelled with “s.”

Learn these seven exceptions:

financial, commercial, provincial, initial, spatial, palatial, controversial

Spelling Test

From the Spelling Rules Course on Udemy

I want you to write out the 10 sentences with gaps and fill in with the "shul" words you hear, or can you guess what they are first? Or you can spell out the whole sentence if you want.

I'll say them quickly at first so if you finish then check your spelling carefully letter by letter. Then I'll say them again slowly. If you want to pause the player for more time, please do.

1. It is _____ that all equipment is properly maintained.

2. It was a very cold house, _____ in winter.

3. She is an independent _____ adviser.

4. The damage was far more serious than _____ believed.

5. The book was very _____.

6. The company offers insurance for _____ and _____ customers.

7. The _____ rain caused widespread flooding.

8. All information will be treated as strictly _____.

9. Her work has been _____ to the project's success.

10. Regular exercise has many _____ health effects.