DGE Codebreaker Worksheet
Advanced Phonics Lab Upper Elementary • Level 4-5
The -DGE Codebreaker Challenge
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Date:
The Detective Rule: When to Use -DGE vs. -GE
USE -DGE:
Immediately after a single short vowel sound in a one-syllable word or stressed root.
Examples: badge, bridge, ledge, dodge
USE -GE:
After a long vowel sound, a vowel team, or a consonant (r, l, n).
Examples: cage, huge, sponge, large
1
Syllable Division & Multi-Syllabic -DGE Words
Combine syllables and circle the short vowel sound preceding -dge.
knowl · edge
cart · ridge
dis · lodge
part · ridge
mis · judg · ment
sledge · ham · mer
2
Decision Lab: -DGE or -GE?
Fill in the missing ending and provide the phonics rule evidence.
| Word Stem | Complete Word | Phonetic Evidence / Reason |
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| fri_____ | | |
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| plun_____ |
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| smu_____ |
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| gor_____ |
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| un-ple_____d |
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| ran_____ |
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Remember: English words do not end in the letter j. We rely on -dge and -ge! Page 1 of 2
Part II Advanced Investigation & Synthesis
Student Name: Page 2 of 2
3
Proofreading Field Report: "The Perilous Ridge"
Find & correct the 5 misspelled /dʒ/ words
"The team set up camp high on the granite ledg. Heavy winds began to disloge loose boulders, threatening our shelter. Ranger Diaz refused to hold a gruge against the harsh weather and consulted his topographic map. Although frost had smuged the ink near the mountain brige, the climbers refused to budge until daylight broke."
| Misspelled Word Found | Correct Spelling | Why is -DGE required? |
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4
Morphology Lab: Adding Suffixes to -DGE Roots
Watch for silent-e drop rules!
dodge + -ing =
judge + -ment =
lodge + -ed =
grudge + -ing =
5
Sentence Forge: Tier-2 Vocabulary
Write complex sentences using the target words below.
Target 1: Acknowledge (verb: to accept, recognize, or admit) Include a cause-and-effect clue (because, since, so)
Target 2: Misjudgment (noun: a poor or incorrect decision) Use in a scenario involving a challenge or sport
Detective Self-Check:
Checked short vowel before -dge Dropped silent -e before -ing Spelled 6/6 multisyllabic words
