spelling rules.pdf

(Most Frequently Used)
Spelling Rules
1. Use ie when the sound is ee, except after c.
Examples: chief, believe, thief ; receive, ceiling, deceive
Exceptions: either, seize, neither, weird
Use ei when the sound is not ee, especially when the sound is ay, as in neighbour and weigh.
2. The final e is dropped before a suffix beginning with a vowel.
take + ing = taking desire + able = desirable
care + ing = caring use + able = usable
Exceptions: Words ending in ce, ge, in order to keep the soft sound before suffixes with
a, o, e, retain the silent e.
3. Keep the final e before a suffix beginning with a consonant.
care + less = careless dole + ful = doleful
Exceptions: argue + ment = argument
judge + ment = judgment
true + ly = truly
4. Words ending in e have a k inserted before e, i, or y to retain the hard sound.
picnic - picnicking panic -- panicky
5. If final y is preceded by a consonant, change y to i before any suffix but those beginning
with i.
ice --iciest pity – pitiful (but pitying )
6. The Doubling Rules
a) In words of one syllable and adding a suffix beginning with a vowel, double the final
consonant if 1) the word ends in a single consonant.
2) the word is preceded by a single vowel.
run – runner fun – funny ban – banned
drop – dropping fit – fitted hot – hottest
b) In words of more than one syllable, double the final consonant if
1) the word ends in a single consonant
2) the last letter is preceded by a single vowel.
3) the accent remains on the last syllable.
occur – occurred refer – referred
7. Do not double the final consonant,
a) if the accent is not on the last syllable.
open – opened rumour – rumoured
murmur – murmured
b) if the consonant is preceded by more than one vowel.
cool – cooler jail – jailed steal – stealing
c) if the word ends in two consonants.
scold – scolded start – starting field -- fielding

Spelling Rules
(to Know When Pluralizing)
1. Nouns regularly add s to the singular.
boys houses cars
2. Add es when the plural has an extra syllable.
mass – masses branch – branches
watch – watches wash – washes
3. Letters and numerals usually take „s.
the 3 r’s 10’s the 1920’s
4. Add s to nouns ending in y when the y is preceded by a vowel.
valleys yesterdays strays
5. Change the y to i and add es when the y is preceded by a consonant.
country – countries army – armies
try – tries bounty -- bounties
6. Nouns ending in o preceded by a vowel add s.
radios rodeos studios
7. Nouns ending in o preceded by a consonant add es.
heroes echoes cargoes
Exceptions: altos autos pianos
8. Some words change a final f to ve when s is added for the plural.
calves halves thieves wives knives
Exceptions: beliefs chiefs proofs
cliffs roofs gulfs
9. Some “foreign” words continue to use the “foreign” plural.
crisis – crises radius – radii
madame –mesdames stimuli -- stimuli
10. Some words do not change their form.
wheat deer series sheep
trout gross duck dozen
11. Certain plurals are spelled irregularly.
tooth – teeth man – men mouse – mice
foot – feet goose – geese woman-- women