Common English Language Rules and Exceptions

10. February 2012 Write a comment Categories: english, grammar

In todays world, written word has become an integral part of everyday life. From texting to emailing, it has become very com mon. Not knowingly people try to shorten and use fancy spelling while texting and sms and so soon, and eventually when trying to write a letter or something, or sit for a competitive exam find it difficult to remember how to spell even common words. It is not only how a word sounds equally important is the way that they look as well.

Common English Language Rules and Exceptions:

1. Type of word: ie and ei words Rule: i before e, except after C or when sounded like a as in the words neighbour and weigh Example:

-ie believe,friend,niece,siege -ei ceiling, conceit, grievous, neighbour, receipt, receive, reign, sleigh, veil, weigh
Exception:

-ie ancient,conscience,conceive,policies,species,science,society,sufficient. -ei either, foreign, neither, leisure, neither, protein, seize, weird.
2. Type of word: Suffixes for words ending in e Rule: If a word ends in silent e and the added suffix begins with a consonant, then keep the letter ewhen adding suffix. Example: awe+some=awesome hate + ful = hateful Rule: If a word ends in a silent e and the added suffix begins with a vowel, then drop the letter e when adding the suffix. Example: age+ing= enforce+ing= true + ism= truism Exception: If a word ends in ce or ge and the added suffix is able or ous, then keep the letter e. Example: change+able=changeable courage+ous=courageous enforce+able=enforceable notice+able=noticeable outrage+ous=outrageous trace + able = traceable 3. Type of word: Suffixes for words ending in y Rule: If a word ends with Y preceded by a vowel, keep the y when adding a siffix. Example: annoy+ance=annoyance buy+er=buyer journey + ed = journeyed Rule: If a word ends with preceded by a consonant, change the y to an I before adding a suffix. Example: carry+ed=carried glory+ous=glorious pay + able = payable 4. Type of word: Suffixes for words ending in a consonant- vowel- consonant pattern (a. e. i. o.u are vowels and rest is consonants) aging enforcing

Rule: In general, if a word has one syllable and ends with a consonant- vowel- consonant pattern, then double the final consonant before adding a suffix that begins with a vowel. Example: bag+age=baggage bar+ed=barred bed+ing=bedding get+ing=getting run + ing = running Rule: In general, if a word has more than one syllable, but the accent is on the last syllable, then double the final consonant before adding a suffix that begins with the vowel. Example: compel+ing=compelling occur+ed=occurred omit+ed=omitted forget + ing = forgetting 5. Type of word: Suffixes for words ending in c Rule: If a word, ends in a C and a suffix beginning with e, I, o, or y is added then the letter K should be inserted following c Example: colic+y =colicky panic+y=panicky mimic + ed = mimicked 6. Type of word: Words ending in ceed, -cede, and sede Rule:In English there are four words that end in ceed, and one word that ends in sede. Other words with the same sound end in cede Example:

-ceed: emceed,exceed,proceed,succeed -sede: supersede -cede: accede antecede, intercede recede, retrocede
7. Type of word: Words ending in able and -ible Rule: If the root word is a complete word, then add able, if it ends in e drop the e before adding able. Example: accept+able=acceptable depend+able=dependable love+able=lovable desire + able = desirable Rule: In general, the root word is not a complete word then add ible Example: aud+ible= divis+ible= feas+ible= invis + ible = invisible Exceptions: There are many exceptions for example, digestible, flexible, responsible, inevitable, collectible/collectable. 8. Type of word: Words ending in -ance, -ancy, -ant, or ence, -ency ent. Rule: If a suffix is preceded by hard c or g sound, then the suffix is ance, -ancy or -ant. audible divisible feasible

Example: elegance,elegant extravagance, extravagant Rule: If the suffix is preceded by a soft c or g sound then the suffix is ency, -ence, or ent Example: absence,absent agency,agent innocent, innocence 9. Type of word: Words ending in tion, -sion, or cian Rule: If the root word ends in t, then the suffix tion can be added and if it ends in s the suffix sioncan be added Example:

-tion: abduction,addiction,deduction -sion: precession, profession, succession

Rule: If a word names a person, then it should end in cian. Example:

-cian: magician, musician, physician.