The 6 Basic Spelling Rules You Need To Know
There are six basic spelling rules that you need to know when you spell words in English. Bear in mind that a lot of these rules also have quite a few exceptions, which only shows what we already suspected - that the English language is very irregular and can be difficult to learn.
So, what are the basic, essential rules?
1. I before E - there is a famous saying "I before E, except after C". Examples: relieve, relief, reprieve. Notice, however, that there are exceptions such as when there is a C preceding the IE: receipt, receive, ceiling, deceive, conceive.
2. Doubling consonants - when B, D, G M, N, or P appears after a short vowel in a word with two syllables, double the consonant: B, D, G, M, N, or P. Examples: stagger, banner, drummer, rabbit, manner.
3. Changing a final Y to I - change a final Y to I before a suffix, unless the suffix (letters added on to the end of a word) begins with I. Examples are: party + es = parties, pity + ful = pitiful, defy + ance = defiance, fly + es = flies, fly + ing = flying, copy + ing = copying, occupy + ing = occupying. Remember that there are exceptions yet again, two common ones are: journeying, memorize.
4. Dropping the final E - you need to drop the final E before a suffix beginning with a vowel (A, E, I, O, U) but do not do this before a suffix beginning with a consonant. Examples: ride + ing = riding, guide + ance = guidance, cope + ing = coping
entire + ly = entirely, like + ness = likeness, arrange + ment = arrangement. Two examples of the common exception are duly, noticeable.
5. Making words plural - generally if the words end in a double S, a Sh or an X, you need to add an ES to make them plural. Examples: fish + es = fishes, fox + es = foxes, mass + es = masses. Most nouns that end in F are changed to VE and have an S added at the end. Examples: wolf = wolves, calf = calves.
6. The final rule concerns spelling changes when you add a suffix, or a prefix (letters added at the beginning of a word). Generally, you don't need to alter the spelling of the word, even if it is a double letter. The prefix/suffix rule is: never add or take away a letter at the joining part of a word. For example: disservice, misunderstood, underrate.
And remember also another basic rule of spelling - when in doubt check it out in a dictionary.
So, what are the basic, essential rules?
1. I before E - there is a famous saying "I before E, except after C". Examples: relieve, relief, reprieve. Notice, however, that there are exceptions such as when there is a C preceding the IE: receipt, receive, ceiling, deceive, conceive.
2. Doubling consonants - when B, D, G M, N, or P appears after a short vowel in a word with two syllables, double the consonant: B, D, G, M, N, or P. Examples: stagger, banner, drummer, rabbit, manner.
3. Changing a final Y to I - change a final Y to I before a suffix, unless the suffix (letters added on to the end of a word) begins with I. Examples are: party + es = parties, pity + ful = pitiful, defy + ance = defiance, fly + es = flies, fly + ing = flying, copy + ing = copying, occupy + ing = occupying. Remember that there are exceptions yet again, two common ones are: journeying, memorize.
4. Dropping the final E - you need to drop the final E before a suffix beginning with a vowel (A, E, I, O, U) but do not do this before a suffix beginning with a consonant. Examples: ride + ing = riding, guide + ance = guidance, cope + ing = coping
entire + ly = entirely, like + ness = likeness, arrange + ment = arrangement. Two examples of the common exception are duly, noticeable.
5. Making words plural - generally if the words end in a double S, a Sh or an X, you need to add an ES to make them plural. Examples: fish + es = fishes, fox + es = foxes, mass + es = masses. Most nouns that end in F are changed to VE and have an S added at the end. Examples: wolf = wolves, calf = calves.
6. The final rule concerns spelling changes when you add a suffix, or a prefix (letters added at the beginning of a word). Generally, you don't need to alter the spelling of the word, even if it is a double letter. The prefix/suffix rule is: never add or take away a letter at the joining part of a word. For example: disservice, misunderstood, underrate.
And remember also another basic rule of spelling - when in doubt check it out in a dictionary.
