I before E
Prefixes
Suffixes
Plurals
Some general spelling rules can be of enormous help to writers.
I before E
Here is a slightly expanded version of the “i before e” rule:
i before e except after c or when pronounced “ay” as in neighbor and weigh, or in weird exceptions like either and species
| I BEFORE E | achieve, brief, field, friend |
| EXCEPT AFTER C | ceiling, conceivable, deceit, receive |
| OR WHEN PRONOUNCED “AY” | eighth, neighbor, reign, weigh |
| OR IN WEIRD EXCEPTIONS | ancient, foreign, height, leisure, neither, seize |
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Prefixes
A prefix, added to the beginning of a word, does not change the spelling of the word it is added to, even when the last letter of the prefix and the first letter of the word are the same (service, disservice; rate, overrate). Some prefixes require the use of hyphens.
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Suffixes
A suffix, added to the end of a word, may change the spelling of the word it is added to. Pay attention to spell checker recommendations, and consult a dictionary if you are uncertain of the right spelling when you add a suffix.
Words ending in a silent -e. In general, drop the final silent e on a word when you add a suffix that starts with a vowel. Keep the final silent e if the suffix starts with a consonant.
| SUFFIX STARTS WITH A VOWEL | SUFFIX STARTS WITH A CONSONANT | EXCEPTIONS TO THE RULE |
| exercise, exercising | force, forceful | argue, argument |
| imagine, imaginable | state, stately | change, changeable |
| courage, courageous | ||
| judge, judgment | ||
| nine, ninth | ||
| notice, noticeable | ||
| true, truly |
Words ending in -y. In general, when you add a suffix to words ending in y, change the y to i if the y is preceded by a consonant. Keep the y if it is preceded by a vowel, if the suffix begins with i, or if the y is part of a proper name.
| Y PRECEDED BY A CONSONANT | Y PRECEDED BY A VOWEL, SUFFIX BEGINS WITH I, OR PROPER NAME |
|
bounty, bountiful busy, busily try, tried fry, fries |
employ, employed Kennedy, Kennedyesque dry, drying |
Words ending in a consonant. When a word that is one syllable long or that has an accented final syllable ends in a consonant preceded by a single vowel, adding a suffix that begins with a vowel requires you to double the final consonant if the word. However, if adding the suffix moves the stress from the final syllable to a previous syllable, don’t double the consonant.
| SINGLE SYLLABLE | ACCENTED FINAL SYLLABLE | ACCENTED SYLLABLE SHIFTS WHEN SUFFIX IS ADDED |
| stop, stopping | occur, occurrence | prefer, preference |
| trim, trimmed |
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Plurals
For most words, simply add -s to form a plural. For singular nouns ending in s, ch, sh, x, or z, add -es (church, churches; fox, foxes).
Words ending in o. In general, add -es if the o is preceded by a consonant. Add -s if the o is preceded by a vowel.
| O PRECEDED BY A CONSONANT | O PRECEDED BY A VOWEL | EXCEPTIONS |
| potato, potatoes | radio, radios | memo, memos |
| hero, heroes | patio, patios | piano, pianos |
| veto, vetoes | zoo, zoos | solo, solos |
Words ending in y. Change y to i and add -es if the y is preceded by a consonant (theory, theories). Do not change a y at the end of a proper name.
| Y PRECEDED BY A CONSONANT | Y PRECEDED BY A VOWEL | Y IN PROPER NAME |
| theory, theories | bay, bays | O’Malley, O’Malleys |
Compound words. For compound words written as one word, make the last part of the compound plural. For compound nouns written as separate or hyphenated words, make the most important parts plural.
| ONE- |
SEPARATED COMPOUND | HYPHENATED COMPOUND |
| mailbox, mailboxes | lieutenant governor, lieutenant governors | mother- |
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For Multilingual Writers: American spellings
Considering Disabilities: Spelling