Spelling Rules
1. I before E Except after C I before E: achieve, brief, fierce, shriek, thief
Or when sounded like "A" Except after C: ceiling, conceit, deceive, perceive, receive
As in neighbor and weigh. Sounded like "A": feign, freight, eighty, reign, veil
2. Double the final consonant before a suffix beginning with a vowel if---
(1) the word has only one syllable or is accented on the last syllable AND
(2) the word ends in a single consonant preceded by a single vowel.
One-syllable:
plan, planned ship, shipped brag, bragging
rob, robber hop, hopped
Last syllable accented:
begin, beginning refer, referring
commit, committed forbid, forbidden
Do not double the final consonant before a suffix if--
(1) the last syllable is not accented OR
(2) the word does not end in a single consonant preceded by a single vowel.
Last syllable not accented:
marvel, marveled counsel, counseled shovel, shoveled
Not ending in single consonant preceded by single vowel:
cramp, cramped look, looked
3. For words ending in y preceded by a consonant, change the y to i before all suffixes except those beginning with i.
Suffixes not beginning with i:
busy, busily
accompany, accompanied
try, tried
Suffixes beginning with i:
busy, busying
accompany, accompanying
try, trying
For words ending in y preceded by a vowel, do not change the y before adding a suffix.
Final y preceded by vowel:
turkey, turkeys
attorney, attorneys
employ, employs
4. When adding a suffix to a word ending in silent e, retain the e if the suffix begins with a consonant.
Suffix beginning with consonant:
arrangement
completely
likely
When adding a suffix to a word ending in silent e, drop the e if the suffix begins with a vowel.
Suffix beginning with vowel:
arranging
completing
liking