Common Spelling Rules
English spelling can seem irregular, but many words follow predictable patterns. Learning the core rules — and the key exceptions — helps you spell more accurately and confidently.
Core spelling rules
1. i before e, except after c
When the sound is /iː/ (as in "see"), spell it ie — unless it follows the letter c, in which case spell it ei.
believe, achieve, field, piece, relief, friend (ie)
receive, ceiling, perceive, deceive, conceive (ei after c)
Exceptions: weird, either, neither, seize, leisure, forfeit, protein
2. Silent -e: drop before vowel suffix, keep before consonant suffix
| Rule | Base word | Add vowel suffix | Add consonant suffix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drop -e before vowel suffix (-ing, -ed, -er, -able) | make | making | maker |
| love | loving, lovable | lovely (keep e) | |
| Keep -e before consonant suffix (-ment, -ful, -ness, -less, -ly) | hope | hoping | hopeful |
| Exceptions: keep e after soft c/g | notice, change | noticeable, changeable |
3. Doubling final consonant (CVC rule)
For short (one-syllable) words ending in consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC), double the final consonant before a vowel suffix.
run → running, runner · sit → sitting · big → bigger, biggest
stop → stopped, stopping · plan → planned, planning
NOT: clean → cleaning (two vowels — no doubling) · work → working (ends in two consonants — no doubling)
4. Changing -y to -i
| Rule | Base | With suffix |
|---|---|---|
| Consonant + y: change y to i before suffix (not -ing) | happy, beauty, carry | happier, beautiful, carried |
| Keep y before -ing | carry, study | carrying, studying |
| Vowel + y: keep y | play, enjoy | played, enjoyed, player |
5. -ful (one l) vs. -full
The suffix -ful always has one l: beautiful, helpful, peaceful, wonderful, careful, powerful. When full stands alone as a word, it has two l's.
6. Common homophones and near-homophones often misspelled
| Often confused | Meaning distinction |
|---|---|
| their / there / they're | possession / place / they are |
| your / you're | belonging to you / you are |
| its / it's | belonging to it / it is |
| affect / effect | verb (to influence) / noun (result) |
| practice / practise | noun (BrE) / verb (BrE) |
Memory tip for -ful: Think of the word "helpful". The suffix takes one l because the full meaning is already in the base word — the suffix just adds meaning without needing the full two letters. Helpful, not helpfull.