[g] Spelled <gu> and <gh>

Sometimes when a [g] sound has an <e>, <i>, or <y> right after it, the [g] sound will be spelled <g> with an insulating <u> standing between the <g> and the <e>, <i>, or <y> to keep the <g> from looking as if it should be pronounced [j].

Originally these words were spelled with no <u> in English. The <u> was added in the 16th century, probably to reflect an older French spelling with <gu>, pronounced [gw].

Also there is one common element that means “speech” and that contains the <g> spelling of [g] with an insulating <u>. The element is logue. Remember that logue means “words or speech,” and be ready to discuss these questions:

If dia- means “two,” what is a dialogue?

If mono- means “one,” what is a monologue?

If pro- means “before,” what is a prologue?

What is a travelogue?

If cata- means “complete,” why is a catalogue called a catalogue?

Words that end <logue> can usually also be spelled <log>. Dialog, monolog, prolog, travelog, catalog, epilog are all correct spellings, too.

Examples

Examples of <gu> before an <e>, <i>, or <y> include the following.

$$\begin{align*}\mathrm{guy} && \mathrm{guide} && \mathrm{intrigue}\end{align*}$$

There are also a few words where [g] is actually spelled <gu> in front of <a>.

$$\begin{align*}\mathrm{guarantee} && \mathrm{guard} && \mathrm{safeguard} && \mathrm{guardian}\end{align*}$$

In a very few words, the sound [g] is spelled <gh>, as in ghost.

Review

1. Underline the letters that spell [g] in the following words.

$$\begin{align*}& \text{gluey} && \text{colleague} && \text{disguise} && \text{guys} && \text{aghast} \\ & \text{ghastly} && \text{ghoulish} && \text{ghetto} && \text{ghosts} && \text{spaghetti} \\ & \text{plague} && \text{agriculture} && \text{agreements} && \text{guilty} && \text{dinghy} \\ & \text{baggage} && \text{luggage} && \text{toboggan} && \text{aggressive} && \text{ingredient} \\ & \text{league} && \text{suggestion} && \text{angles} && \text{bedraggled} && \text{boondoggle} \end{align*}$$

2. Sort the above words into these groups.

Words in which [g] is spelled . . .

<g> with an insulating <u>	<g>	<gh>	<gg>

---