Basic Spelling Rules
 Have you ever seen this word? Ghoti

Here are some clues to figure it out.
o
o

Pronounce the gh as in tough, the o as in women and the ti as in nation.
Blend these sounds and you get fish.
This joke was made by George Bernard Shaw to prove a point. English spelling is confusing.
 Actually, English spelling does follow specific rules

Therefore, ghoti cannot be pronounced as fish because gh
never represents the sound of f at the beginning of an English
word and ti never represents the sound of sh at the end of an
English word.

Knowing some basic rules of English spelling can eliminate many common
errors even though there are usually exceptions.
Basic Rules
1.
Remember this poem to decide if a word should be spelled ie or ei.
Put i before e
Except after c
Or when it sounds like a
As in neighbor or neigh.
Examples for line 1:
mischief
believe
field
Examples for line 2:
receiver
conceited
Examples for line 3:
eight
weigh
freight
Some Exceptions:
friend
neither
leisure
foreign
2.
Follow these steps to decide if a final consonant needs to be doubled when a
suffix or verb ending is added.
 If the word is one syllable or is stressed on the last syllable (Say
the word out loud to determine stress.)
 And has a single final consonant
 And that single final consonant is preceded by a
single vowel
 And the suffix begins with a vowel
 Then double the final consonant.
Example: Control + able

The stress is on the last syllable - trol
 There is a single final consonant - l
 The final consonant has a vowel before it - o
 The suffix, able, begins with a vowel
 Therefore, you double the l before
adding the suffix.
 Write controllable
Example: enter + ing

3.
The stress is on the first syllable - en - not the last
 Therefore, you do not double the final consonant.
 Write entering.
How to handle a final e when adding a suffix or verb ending.

If the suffix or verb ending begins with a vowel, drop the final e.
Examples: amuse + ing = amusing
creative + ity = creativity
J.Nogowski
J.Nogowski

If the suffix or verb ending begins with a consonant, keep the
final e.
Examples: measure + ment = measurement
definite + ly = definitely
J.Nogowski
4.
How to add a suffix or verb ending when a word ends in y.

If the word has a consonant before the y, change the y to i.
Example: mercy + less = merciless

If the word has a vowel before the y, keep the y.
Example: employ + ed = employed
5.
How to make nouns plural.
 Words that end in ss, sh, ch or x add es.
Example: switch = switches

Words that have a consonant before a final y, change the y to i
before adding es.
Example: summary = summaries

Most nouns ending in f or fe add s. However, some change the f
to v and add s or es. There is no rule to follow here.
Examples: belief = beliefs
half = halves

Most nouns ending in o add s. However, some add es. There is
no rule to follow here.
Examples: studio = studios
cargo = cargoes
6.
The spelling of a word does not change when you add a prefix to it even
when the first letter of the word and the last letter of the prefix are the
same.
Examples: mis + step = misstep
pre + eminent = preeminent
un + necessary = unnecessary
7.
Irregular plurals just need to be memorized.
child
children
foot
feet
goose
geese
louse
lice
man
men
mouse
mice
ox
oxen
tooth
teeth
woman
women
8.
Sometimes words have silent letters. These follow patterns that can be
memorized.
Examples: gn, pn, kn= n
gnome
pneumonia
knife
Examples: rh, wr = r
rhyme
wrestle
Examples: pt, ght = t
ptomaine
height
Examples: ps, sc = s
psalm
science
Example: wh = h
whole
Now that you have practiced applying the basic spelling rules, you
might need a way to help you remember the rules.
Flash Cards
On one side of a 3 x 5 card, write the rule that is causing you
problems. On the reverse, write examples of words that apply to this
rule. Index cards are convenient, because you can carry them
anywhere and study at any time.
Adapted from Montgomery County Community College
http://www.mc3.edu/aa/lal/workshops/wksp_spelling/spellingrules.html
Practice Exercise - Rule 1
Fill in ei or ie
1.
2.
3.
When you hang up the telephone, you put the rec____ver down.
She has an overly high opinion of herself. In fact, she is considered
conc____ted.
We invested money in a mutual fund that gave us an extremely high
y____ld.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
The radio station was bes____ged by telephone calls when it offered
free tickets to the concert.
The night before Halloween is traditionally a time for misch____f.
The f____ld of technology is dramatically altering our world.
The anc____nt ruins were amazingly well preserved.
The gourmet cook used a s_____ve to drain the pasta.
In many cultures, brides wear a v_____l.
He had two nephews, but only one n_____ce.
Practice Exercise - Rule 2
Decide if the final consonant needs to be doubled before adding
the suffix. Enter the complete word into the empty field.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Marriage is a lifetime ____________ (commit +ment).
He never ____________ (submit + ed) his applications to college.
He was ____________ (expel + ed) from school because of his
behavior.
The birth of her child was the most memorable ____________ (occur
+ ence) of her life.
The ____________ (allot + ment) of time for the test was inadequate.
The instructor __________ (lessen + ed) the requirements for his
course, because he realized they were burdensome.
I __________ (actual + ly) missed my parents when I left for college.
He __________ (equip + ed) himself with clothing for all types of
weather.
She __________ (submit + ed) applications for several jobs.
It is __________ (hot + er) in Hawaii than in Alaska.
Practice Exercise - Rule 3
Decide if the final e should remain or be dropped.
Write the completed word after the equal sign.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
agitate + ion =
force + ful =
measure + ment =
approve + al =
believe + able =
6. force + ible =
7. receive + ing =
8. sportsman + ship =
9. hope + ful =
10. sense + ible =
Practice Exercise - Rule 4
Decide if the y changes to i before adding the suffix or if
it remains a y. Write the completed word after the equal
sign.
1. defy + ed =
2 lazy + ness =
3 mercy + less =
4. angry + ly =
5. carry + er =
6.
7.
8
9.
10.
fancy + er =
destroy + ed =
deploy + ing =
pry + ed =
tarry + ed =
Practice Exercise - Rule 5
Make these nouns plural. Write the noun's plural form
next to the noun.
1. latch =
2 society =
3 luxury =
4. chimney =
5. wolf =
6.
7.
8
9.
10.
ratio =
loaf =
soprano =
stereo =
princess =
Practice Exercise - Rule 6
Add prefixes to these words. Write the completed word
into after the equal sign. .
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
co + operate =
il + legal =
mis + say =
dis + satisfy =
un + nerve =
Adapted from http://www.mc3.edu/aa/lal/workshops/wksp_spelling/spellingrules.html
Answers on following page
LATTC Writing Center
Rev. March 20, 2009
Title V Funded
Practice 1 = 1. receiver;2. conceited;3. yield;4. besieged;5.
mischief;6. field;7. ancient;8. sieve;9. veil;10. Niece
Practice 2 = 1.commitment;2. submitted;3. expelled;4.
occurrence;5. allotment;6. lessened;7. actually;8. equipped;9.
submitted;10. hotter
Practice 3 = 1. agitation; 2. forceful; 3. measurement; 4.
approval; 5. believable; 6. forcible; 7. receiving; 8.
sportsmanship; 9. hopeful; 10. sensible
Practice 4 = 1. defied;2. laziness;3. merciless;4. angrily;5.
carrier;6. fancier;7. destroyed;8. deploying;9. pried;10. Tarried
Practice 5 = 1. latches;2. societies;3. luxuries;4. chimneys;5.
wolves;6. ratios;7. loaves;8. sopranos;9. stereos;10. Princesses
Practice 6 =1. cooperate;2.illegal;3.missay;4. dissatisfy;5.
unnerve
LATTC Writing Center
Rev. March 20, 2009
Title V Funded