Final answer:
In English phonetics, the spelling of words with a [k] sound followed by an ending depends on the preceding vowel's length and stress; a short stressed vowel before [k] is spelled 'ck', whereas a long stressed vowel may result in 'k' or 'ke'. Additionally, when adding suffixes to words ending in a CVC pattern with the last vowel stressed, we double the final consonant.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding the stress patterns in words that involve a weak vowel followed by a strong vowel can be challenging. The stress often falls on the strong vowel, which can influence the spelling. For instance, in words where the [k] sound follows a vowel and is in front of an at the end of words, different spelling rules apply based on the type of vowel that comes before the [k]. If a vowel with strong stress precedes the [k] and it is a short vowel, the [k] is typically spelled as 'ck'. Conversely, if the vowel is long, the [k] might be spelled with a simple 'k' or 'ke'.
An example is the word 'wrinkle', where the 'i' (which represents a short vowel sound) is stressed, and thus the word is spelled with a 'ck' before the ending. On the other hand, in a word like 'spectacle', the long 'a' sound is stressed before the 'k', which results in a different spelling convention.
When adding suffixes to words that end in a consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) pattern, with the last vowel having strong stress, we typically double the final consonant if the suffix starts with a vowel. Understanding these rules is essential for correct spelling and pronunciation in English.