What feature of the English writing system makes it particularly difficult for young readers and spellers?

The feature of the English writing system that makes it particularly difficult for young readers and spellers is its morphophonemic nature. Morphophonemics refers to the way in which the pronunciation of a word can change based on its morphological structure (the way words are formed and modified). In English, this means that the relationship between sounds (phonology) and their meanings (morphology) is complex and not strictly one-to-one. For example, the plural form of "foot" is "feet," where the vowel sound changes even though the meaning of plurality remains consistent.

This complexity can create challenges for young readers and spellers as they attempt to decode and encode words. They need to understand not just the sounds associated with letters but also how different morphemes (the smallest units of meaning) can influence those sounds. This requires a deeper level of processing and understanding, which can be difficult for emerging readers to grasp.

In contrast, a writing system that is simply phonetic would involve a more straightforward correspondence between sounds and letters, making it easier for young learners to predict how to read and spell words. Similarly, a completely regular writing system would mean consistent rules without exceptions, which would also simplify reading and spelling tasks. The reliance on imagery