Spelling Rules!!
Rule #1
Write i before e except after c, or when
sounded like “ay” as in neighbour and
weigh.
Examples
field, achieve, believe, chief, piece, pierce,
niece, relief, yield, shield, priest
BUT, AFTER “C”, use “ei”:
receive, deceive, perceive, ceiling, conceit
WHEN ei SOUNDS LIKE “AY”:
sleigh, freight, eight
EXCEPTIONS:
Rottweiler, seize, either, weird, height,
foreign, leisure
More exceptions…
caffeine, science
Remember…
*When the ie/ei combination is not
pronounced ee, it is usually spelled ei.
Rule #2: Double a final consonant
before adding a suffix that begins
with a vowel if:
The consonant ends a one syllable word
(eg. bat)
The consonant follows a single vowel
(shop)
The consonant ends a stressed syllable
in a multi-syllable word (eg. begin)
Examples:
bat – batting; shop- shopping;
begin – beginning
Rule #3: If a word ends with a
silent e, drop the e before adding a
suffix which begins with a vowel.
Examples:
like – liking – likeness; use – using –
useful; nine – ninety, nineteen
Notice:
you do not drop the e when the suffix
begins with a consonant.
Exceptions include judgement, truly,
argument, and ninth).
Rule #4: When y is the last letter in a
word and the y is preceded by a
consonant, change the y to i before
adding any suffix except those beginning
with i.
Examples:
fry – fries
hurry- hurried
lady – ladies
happy – happiness
beauty – beautiful
Rule #5: The suffix “able” is
added to words when there is a
clear base word.
Example:
agree + able = agreeable
change + able = changeable
Note:
When there isn’t a clear base word, add
“ible”:
Examples:
permiss + ible = permissible
ed + ible = edible
incred + ible + incredible
Rule #6: The suffix “ally” or “ly”:
words ending in c usually add “ally” to
form the adverb:
basic – basically; drastic – drastically;
music -- musically
Other words generally add “ly” to form
the adverb:
complete – completely; natural –
naturally