Basic Spelling Rules

Have you ever seen this word? Ghoti

Here are some clues to figure it out.

  • Pronounce the gh as in tough, the o as in women and the ti as in nation.
  • Blend these sounds and you get fish.
  • This joke was made by George Bernard Shaw to prove a point. English spelling is confusing.
Actually, English spelling does follow specific rules
  • Therefore, ghoti cannot be pronounced as fish because gh never represents the sound of f at the beginning of an English word and ti never represents the sound of sh at the end of an English word.
  • Knowing some basic rules of English spelling can eliminate many common errors even though there are usually exceptions.

Basic Rules

  1. Remember this poem to decide if a word should be spelled ie or ei.
Put i before e
Except after c
Or when it sounds like a
As in neighbor or neigh.
Examples for line 1: / mischief / believe / field
Examples for line 2: / receiver / conceited
Examples for line 3: / eight / weigh / freight
Some Exceptions: / friend / neither / leisure / foreign

  1. Follow these steps to decide if a final consonant needs to be doubled when a suffix or verb ending is added.
  2. If the word is one syllable or is stressed on the last syllable (Say the word out loud to determine stress.)
  3. And has a single final consonant
  4. And that single final consonant is preceded by a single vowel
  5. And the suffix begins with a vowel
  6. Then double the final consonant.
Example: Control + able
  • The stress is on the last syllable - trol
  • There is a single final consonant - l
  • The final consonant has a vowel before it - o
  • The suffix, able, begins with a vowel
  • Therefore, you double the l before adding the suffix.
  • Write controllable
Example: enter + ing
  • The stress is on the first syllable - en - not the last
  • Therefore, you do not double the final consonant.
  • Write entering.
  1. How to handle a final e when adding a suffix or verb ending.
  2. If the suffix or verb ending begins with a vowel, drop the final e.
Examples: / amuse + ing = amusing
creative + ity = creativity

J.Nogowski

J.Nogowski
  • If the suffix or verb ending begins with a consonant, keep the final e.
Examples: / measure + ment = measurement
definite + ly = definitely

J.Nogowski
4.How to add a suffix or verb ending when a word ends in y.
  • If the word has a consonant before the y, change the y to i.
Example: mercy + less = merciless
  • If the word has a vowel before the y, keep the y.
Example: employ + ed = employed
5.How to make nouns plural.
  • Words that end in ss, sh, ch or x add es.
Example: switch = switches
  • Words that have a consonant before a final y, change the y to i before adding es.
Example: summary = summaries
  • Most nouns ending in f or fe add s. However, some change the f to v and add s or es. There is no rule to follow here.
Examples: / belief = beliefs
half = halves
  • Most nouns ending in o add s. However, some add es. There is no rule to follow here.
Examples: / studio = studios
cargo = cargoes
6.The spelling of a word does not change when you add a prefix to it even when the first letter of the word and the last letter of the prefix are the same.
Examples: / mis + step = misstep
pre + eminent = preeminent
un + necessary = unnecessary
7.Irregular plurals just need to be memorized.
child / children
foot / feet
goose / geese
louse / lice
man / men
mouse / mice
ox / oxen
tooth / teeth
woman / women
8.Sometimes words have silent letters. These follow patterns that can be memorized.
Examples: gn, pn, kn= n
gnome / pneumonia / knife
9.
Examples: rh, wr = r
rhyme / wrestle
10.
Examples: pt, ght = t
ptomaine / height
11.
Examples: ps, sc = s
psalm / science
12.
Example: wh = h
whole
/ Now that you have practiced applying the basic spelling rules, you might need a way to help you remember the rules.

Flash Cards

On one side of a 3 x 5 card, write the rule that is causing you problems. On the reverse, write examples of words that apply to this rule. Index cards are convenient, because you can carry them anywhere and study at any time.

Adapted from MontgomeryCountyCommunity College

Practice Exercise - Rule 1

Fill in ei or ie

  1. When you hang up the telephone, you put the rec____ver down.
  2. She has an overly high opinion of herself. In fact, she is considered conc____ted.

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  1. We invested money in a mutual fund that gave us an extremely high y____ld.

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  1. The radio station was bes____ged by telephone calls when it offered free tickets to the concert.

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  1. The night before Halloween is traditionally a time for misch____f.

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  1. The f____ld of technology is dramatically altering our world.

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  1. The anc____nt ruins were amazingly well preserved.

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  1. The gourmet cook used a s_____ve to drain the pasta.

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  1. In many cultures, brides wear a v_____l.

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  1. He had two nephews, but only one n_____ce.

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Practice Exercise - Rule 2

Decide if the final consonant needs to be doubled before adding the suffix.Enter the complete word into the empty field.

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  1. Marriage is a lifetime ______(commit +ment).
  2. He never ______(submit + ed) his applications to college.
  3. He was ______(expel + ed) from school because of his behavior.
  4. The birth of her child was the most memorable ______(occur + ence) of her life.
  5. The ______(allot + ment) of time for the test was inadequate.
  6. The instructor ______(lessen + ed) the requirements for his course, because he realized they were burdensome.
  7. I ______(actual + ly) missed my parents when I left for college.
  8. He ______(equip + ed) himself with clothing for all types of weather.
  9. She ______(submit + ed) applications for several jobs.
  10. It is ______(hot + er) in Hawaii than in Alaska.

Practice Exercise - Rule 3

Decide if the final e should remain or be dropped.

Write the completed word after the equal sign.

1. agitate + ion =6. force + ible =

2. force + ful =7. receive + ing =

3. measure + ment =8. sportsman + ship =

4. approve + al =9. hope + ful =

5. believe + able =10. sense + ible =

Practice Exercise - Rule 4

Decide if the y changes to i before adding the suffix or if it remains a y. Write the completed word after the equal sign.

1. defy + ed =6. fancy + er =

2 lazy + ness =7. destroy + ed =

3 mercy + less =8 deploy + ing =

4. angry + ly =9. pry + ed =

5. carry + er =10. tarry + ed =

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Practice Exercise - Rule 5

Make these nouns plural. Write the noun's plural form next to the noun.

1. latch =6. ratio =

2 society =7. loaf =

3 luxury =8 soprano =

4. chimney =9. stereo =

5. wolf =10. princess =

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Practice Exercise - Rule 6

Add prefixes to these words. Write the completed word into after the equal sign. .

1. co + operate =

2. il + legal =

3. mis + say =

4. dis + satisfy =

5. un + nerve =

Adapted from

Answers on following page

LATTC Writing CenterRev. March 20, 2009Title V Funded

Practice 1 = 1. receiver;2. conceited;3. yield;4. besieged;5. mischief;6. field;7. ancient;8. sieve;9. veil;10. Niece

Practice 2 = 1.commitment;2. submitted;3. expelled;4. occurrence;5. allotment;6. lessened;7. actually;8. equipped;9. submitted;10. hotter

Practice 3 = 1. agitation; 2. forceful; 3. measurement; 4. approval; 5. believable; 6. forcible; 7. receiving; 8. sportsmanship; 9. hopeful; 10. sensible

Practice 4 = 1. defied;2. laziness;3. merciless;4. angrily;5. carrier;6. fancier;7. destroyed;8. deploying;9. pried;10. Tarried

Practice 5 = 1. latches;2. societies;3. luxuries;4. chimneys;5. wolves;6. ratios;7. loaves;8. sopranos;9. stereos;10. Princesses

Practice 6 =1. cooperate;2.illegal;3.missay;4. dissatisfy;5. unnerve

LATTC Writing CenterRev. March 20, 2009Title V Funded