ie and ei

Rule a: Write ie when the sound is long e, except after c.

Examples Exceptions
achieve, believe, field, receive either, leisure, neither, seize

Rule b: Write ei when the sound is not long e, especially when

the sound is long a.

Examples Exceptions
foreign, weigh, neighbor, veil friend, science, patience

-cede, -ceed, and –sede

Rule c: In English, the only word ending in –sede is supersede.
The only words ending in –ceed are exceed, proceed, and succeed.
Most other words with this sound end in –cede.
Examples Exceptions
concede, intercede, precede supersede, exceed, etc.

Adding Prefixes
Rule d: When adding a prefix to a word, do not change the
spelling of the word itself.

Examples Exceptions
im + prove = improve NONE

mis + spell = over + rate =

 Adding Suffixes
Rule e: When adding the suffix –ly or –ness to a word, do not
change the spelling of the word itself.
Examples Exceptions
slow + ly dark + ness happily laziness

Rule f: Drop the final silent e before adding a suffix beginning

with a vowel.
Examples Exceptions (p.373)
line + ing = lining, approval traceable, courageous, dyeing,
mileage
Rule g: Keep the final silent e before adding a suffix beginning
with a consonant.
Examples Exceptions (p.374)
hope + less = hopeless, careful truly, awful, argument, ninth

Rule h: For words ending in y preceded by a consonant, change

the y to i before any suffix that does not begin with i.
Examples Exceptions
cry + ed = cried, tried, easily NONE

Rule i: For words ending in y preceded by a vowel, keep the y

when adding a suffix.
Examples Exceptions
pray + ing = praying, obeyed daily, laid, paid, said

Rule j: Double the final consonant before adding a suffix

beginning with a vowel if the words (1) has only one syllable or has
the accent on the last syllable and (2) ends in a single consonant
preceded by a single vowel.
Examples Exceptions
sitting, referred, swimmer, singer, finalist, speaking,
beginner, dropped, forbidden centered
 Rule k: To form most plurals, add s.
Rule l: For nouns ending in s, x, z, ch, or sh, add es.
Plurals
Rule m: For nouns ending in y preceded by a vowel, add s.

Singular valley, boy, journey

Plural valleys, boys, journeys

Rule n: For nouns ending in y preceded by a consonant, change

the y to i and add es.
Singular library, story
Plural libraries, stories

Rule o: For some nouns ending in f or fe, add s. For others,

change the f or fe to v and add es.
Singular roof, knife, thief
Plural roofs, knives, thieves

Rule p: For nouns ending in o, preceded by a vowel, add s.

Singular radio, video, igloo

Plural radios, videos, igloos

Rule q: For nouns ending in o preceded by a consonant, add es.

Singular tomato, potato, hero

Plural tomatoes, potatoes, heroes

Rule r: Some nouns have irregular plural forms.

Singular ox, goose, tooth, child

Plural Oxen, geese, teeth, children
Rule s:

Singular
Plural

Rule t:

Singular
Plural

Rule u:

Singular

Rule v:

Examples:
Spelling Numbers

Rule w:

Example:

Rule x:

Example:

Rule y:

Example: