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Spelling Rules in English
Top 10 Spelling Rules in English
At first glance, the spelling rules in English look complicated. However, after a bit of practice, you will soon discover that they are not as bad as they initially look.After a bit of practice, you will notice that a word looks wrong, or would be pronounced wrongly, without the spelling rule. You will even learn to love the exceptions!
(1) Adding a suffix to word ending "-y"
If the suffix starts with e, change the y to an i.word ending -y | suffix | correct spelling |
---|---|---|
cry | -ed | cried |
ugly | -est | ugliest |
family | -es | families |
words ending -y | suffix | correct spellings |
---|---|---|
cry, try, tidy | -ing | crying, trying, tidying |
words ending [two consonants] + y | suffix | correct spellings |
---|---|---|
happy, funny, jolly | -ly | happily, funnily, jollily |
word ending [two consonants] + y | suffix | correct spelling |
---|---|---|
sly | -ly | slyly not slyily ![]() |
(2) Adding "-es" to a word ending "-s," "-ss," "-z," "-ch," "-sh", or "-x"
There are two reasons to add -s or -es to the end of a word:- To make a noun plural (e.g., cat > cats, tree > trees)
- To make a verb fit with "he," "she," or "it" (e.g., he looks, she thinks, it likes)
example word | reason to add "-s" or "-es" | correct spelling |
---|---|---|
bus | make plural | buses |
fox | make plural | foxes |
business | make plural | businesss ![]() |
catch | verb change | he catches |
wash | verb change | it washes |
box | verb change | he boxs ![]() |
(3) Dropping the "-e"
Drop the silent e to add a suffix that starts with a vowel (e.g., -ing, -ed, -er, -est, -able).example word | vowel suffix | correct spelling |
---|---|---|
write | -ing | writing |
imagine | -able | imaginable |
loose | -est | loosest |
opposite | -ion | opposition |
promote | -able | promoteable ![]() |
example word | vowel suffix | correct spelling |
---|---|---|
courage | -ous | courageous |
notice | -able | noticeable |
example word | vowel suffix | correct spelling |
---|---|---|
stage | -ing | staging |
splice | -ing | splicing |
(4) Writing "i" before "e" except after "c"
If you're unsure whether to use ie or ei, follow this well-known rhyme:- i before e except after c
uncertainty | comment | correct spelling |
---|---|---|
believe or beleive? | i before e | believe |
recieve or receive? | after c, so switch | receive |
cieling or ceiling? | after c, so switch | ceiling |
uncertainty | comment | correct spelling |
---|---|---|
ancient or anceint? | c sounds like sh | ancient |
efficient or efficeint? | c sounds like sh | efficient |
uncertainty | comment | correct spelling |
---|---|---|
weigh or wiegh? | pairing sounds like A | weigh |
freight or frieght? | pairing sounds like A | freight |
- conscience, counterfeit, either, foreign, forfeit, height, leisure, neither, science, seize, species, sufficient, weird
(5) Changing "-f" to "-ves"
When pluralizing a word ending -f, use the -ves ending.example words | correct spellings |
---|---|
leaf, knife, shelf | leaves, knives, shelves |
example word | correct spellings |
---|---|
dwarf | dwarves, dwarfs |
scarf | scarves, scarfs |
example words | correct spellings |
---|---|
chief, roof, belief | chiefs, roofs, beliefs |
Exceptions 3: If the word ends -ff, add -s.
example words | correct spellings |
---|---|
cliff, sniff | cliffs, sniffs |
(6) Doubling the final consonant
If a one-syllable word ends vowel + consonant, double the final consonant before a vowel suffix.example word | vowel suffix | correct spelling |
---|---|---|
sit | -ing | sitting |
big | -er | bigger |
tap | -able | tappable |
thin | -est | thinnest |
With multi-syllable words, apply the same rule if the final syllable is stressed.
example word | vowel suffix | correct spelling |
---|---|---|
refer | -ing | referring |
begin | -er | beginner |
tap | -able | tappable |
example word | vowel suffix | correct spelling |
---|---|---|
offer | -ing | offering |
develop | -er | developer |
(7) Adding the suffix "-ful"
The suffix -ful always has one l.example words | correct spellings |
---|---|
faith, care | faithful, careful |
(8) Adding the suffix "-ly"
If a word ends -e, add -ly.example words | correct spellings |
---|---|
love, live, definite | lovely, lively, definitely |
truly
not truely 
If a word ends -le, remove the -e and add -y.
example words | correct spellings |
---|---|
gentle, subtle | gently, subtly |
(9) Adding the prefix "al-"
The prefix al- comes from "all," but it always has one l.correct spellings |
---|
also, always, almighty, already |
(10) Adding "-s" or -"-es" to a word ending "-o"
The he/she/it version of go and do are goes and does.verb | reason to add "-s" or "-es" | correct spelling |
---|---|---|
do | verb change | he does |
go | verb change | it goes |
words for "-es" | correct spellings |
---|---|
domino, echo, embargo, hero, mosquito, potato, tomato, torpedo, veto | dominoes, echoes, embargoes, heroes, mosquitoes, potatoes, tomatoes, torpedoes, vetoes |
If the word ends vowel + o, add -s.
example words | correct spellings |
---|---|
patio, video, tattoo | patios, videos, tattoos |
example words | correct spellings |
---|---|
solo, soprano, banjo, cello, piano | solos, sopranos, banjos, cellos, pianos |
example word | long form | correct spelling |
---|---|---|
photo | photograph | photos |
hippo | hippopotamus | hippos |
kilo | kilogram | kilos |
typo | typographical error | typos |
example words | correct spellings |
---|---|
stiletto, kimono, taco, inferno | stilettos, kimonos, tacos, infernos |
example word | acceptable plurals |
---|---|
buffalo | buffalos or buffaloes |
cargo | cargos or cargoes |
fresco | frescos or frescoes |
ghetto | ghettos or ghettoes |
halo | halos or haloes |
mango | mangos or mangoes |
memento | mementos or mementoes |
motto | mottos or mottoes |
tornado | tornados or tornadoes |
volcano | volcanos or volcanoes |
zero | zeros or zeroes |
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