Orthography
What to master
Orthography is the system of correct spelling. Core topics include vowels after sibilants and ц, roots with alternating vowels, prefixes pre-/pri-, раз-/роз-, ы/и after prefixes, unpronounceable consonants, double consonants, hyphenated words, не and ни with different parts of speech, н/нн in adjectives, participles and adverbs, and spelling of suffixes and endings. Each rule depends on a prior morphemic or grammatical analysis.
Traps
Homophones are the main danger: пребывать/прибывать, предел/придел, компания/кампания. Do not apply a rule before identifying the morpheme: the spelling of a prefix may depend on its meaning, on the following consonant, or on stress. Distinguish не as a particle from не- as a prefix, and н/нн in a short participle from н/нн in a short adjective. Exceptions must be memorized separately.
Worked example
In расположить, рас- is a prefix before a voiceless п, so it is spelled with с; the root is -лож-. In положить there is no such prefix. Rule of thumb: identify the morpheme and part of speech first, then apply the relevant rule, and check whether the word is an exception.
Rule of thumb
Never spell by sound alone or by analogy with a similar-looking word; analyze morphemes and grammar first.