Spelling Rules
You can improve your spelling by understanding the rules. Please also read the section on plurals, prefixes and suffixes.
| i before e except after c | |
|---|---|
| i before e | piece, believe, achieve |
| except after c | receive, receipt, deceive |
| Exceptions! | |
| c sounds like sh | ancient,efficient,proficient,conscience |
| sounds like ay | vein,weight,neighbour,height |
| There are several exceptions that do not follow any rules. Such as: caffiene, either,weird,their,neither | |
| One Syllable Words |
|---|
| Doubling Rule: Ends in a consonant and the letter before the consonant is a vowel. Careful! The rule for consonant ending in y differs (see below). |
| Example: run double the n if the suffix begins with a vowel ing running |
| Example: bet
double the t if the suffix begins with a vowel er better |
| Ends with more than one consonant, Careful! The rule for consonant ending in y differs (see below) |
| Example: hang just add the suffix ing hanging |
| Example: help just add the suffix ed helped |
| More Than One Syllable Words |
|---|
| Doubling Rule: Ends in a consonant and the letter before the consonant is a vowel. Careful! The rule for consonant ending in y differs (see below). |
| Example: begin if the stress is on the last syllable double the n before adding the suffix ing beginning |
| Example: admit if the stress is on the last syllable double the t before adding the suffix ed admitted |
|
Example: benefitit Careful! If the stress is on the first syllable you do not need to double the t before adding the suffix ed. benefited |
| Doubling Rule: Words ending with the letter L and the suffix starts with a vowel |
|
Example: equal double the l before adding the suffix ed. equalled Example: enrol double the l before adding the suffix ing. enrolling |
Ends with a consonant and the suffix starts with a consonant |
|
Example: enrol No need to double the l. Just add on the suffix ment. enrolment |
|
Example: adust Just add on the suffix ment. adjustment |
| Words Ending In Y |
|---|
| Ends with a consonant followed by the y consonant. | Example:spy
remove the y and replace it with i before adding the suffix es spies Note! When adding the suffix ing you do not need to remove the y. spying |
| Ends with a vowel followed by a y consonant. |
| Example:decay just add the suffix ing decaying |
| Example:day just add the suffix s days Exception! Daily |
| Words Ending In E |
|---|
| Suffixes beginning with a vowel (a, e, i, o, u ). |
| remove the e before adding the suffix ance Example:guide guidance |
| remove the e before adding the suffix ing Example:revise revising |
| remove the e before adding the suffix ous Example:desire desirous |
|
Careful! Here the suffix y is considered to be a vowel remove the e before adding the suffix y Example:scare scary |
|
Careful!
Words ending in ce keep the silent e with suffixes able.
Example:peace
peaceable
Example:replace replaceable Words ending in ge keep the silent e with suffixes able and ous.
Example:manage
manageable
Example:courage
courageous |
| Suffixes Beginning With A Consonant | just add the suffix ment after the e Example:arrange arrangement |
just add the suffix ness after the e Example:like likeness |
| just add the suffix s after the e Example:admire admires |
| Nouns - Singular to Plural | ||
|---|---|---|
| Nouns ending in | Singular | Plural |
| ch, sh, s, ss, x or z | watch, brush, bus, glass, box, buzz |
add es at the end: watches, brushes, buses, glasses, boxes, buzzes |
| y and has a vowel(a,e,i,o,u) before the y | toy, boy, monkey, day | add s at the end: toys, boys, monkeys, days |
| y and has a consonant before the y | lily,cherry, body, story | remove the y and add ies: lilies, cherries, bodies, stories |
| f or fe | knife, leaf, life, wolf |
remove f/fe and add ves: knives, leaves, lives, wolves |
| Exceptions! f or fe | cafe, roof, cliffs, chief |
add-s: cafes, roofs, cliffs, chiefs |
| o and has a consonant before the o | potato, tomato, mango, echo, hero | add es potatoes, tomatoes, mangoes, echoes, heroes |
| o and has a vowel before the o | zoo, tattoo, kangaroo, cameo, studio | add s zoos, tattoos, kangaroos, cameos, studios |
| Exceptions! o and has a consonant before the o | piano, demo, solo,kilo, rhino |
add-s: pianos, demos, solos, kilos, rhinos |