The dual-route model of reading proposes distinct lexical and sub-lexical procedures for word reading and spelling. Lexically reliant and sub-lexically reliant reader subgroups were selected from 78 university students on the basis of their performance on lexical (orthographic) and sub-lexical (phonological) choice tests, and on irregular and nonword naming. In spelling of irregular words and nonwords to dictation, the group comparisons failed to support the dissociative predictions for lexical and sub-lexical reliance that were derived from the dual-route model: lexical readers were not superior to sub-lexical readers on spelling irregular words as well as inferior to sub-lexical readers on spelling regular letter strings (nonwords). In line with a single-route view, print exposure and phonological coding (nonword naming accuracy) appear to be key factors in the effective learning of both regular and irregular words. (Contains 5 tables and 2 figures.)