English Words Spelling Rules

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English Words Spelling Rules :



Final Consonant

In short words ending in one vowel-letter + one consonant-letter, the consonant is doubled before an ending with a vowel (-ED, -ING, -ER & -EST).

1. drop + ed = dropped
2. beg + ed = begged
3. stop + ing = stopping
4. plan + ing = planning
5. big + er = bigger
6. hot + est = hottest

But…

1. clean + ed = cleaned (two vowels)
2. weak + er = weaker (two vowels)
3. ask + ed = asked (two consonants)
4. fast + er = faster (two consonants)

In longer words the final syllable is doubled if the last part of the word is stressed.

1. begin + ing = beginning
2. refer + ed = referred
3. admit + ed = admitted

The consonant is not doubled if the last part of the word is unstressed.

1. visit + ing = visiting
2. suffer + ing = suffering
3. open + ed = opened
4. benefit + ed = benefited

But L is doubled in British English, even if the last part of the word is unstressed.

1. travel + ed = travelled
2. travel + er = traveller
3. quarrel + ing = quarrelling

(American English : traveled, traveler, quarreling)

Note the exception :

parallel + ed = paralleled (in both British and American English)

When FULL is added to a word, the second L is dropped.

1. joy + full = joyful
2. use + full = useful

If the word to which the ending FUL is added ends in LL, the second L is dropped here also.

1. Skill – skilful

IE or EI

When IE or EI is pronounced like EE in BEE, I comes before E except after C.

Remember this jingle.

Write I before E
Except after C.
Or when sounded like A
As in eighty and weigh.

IE

1. Thief
2. Believe
3. Achieve
4. Field

EL after C

1. Receive
2. Receipt
3. Deceive
4. Deceit

Some exceptions

1. Seize
2. Weird
3. Protein
4. Surfeit

This rule does not apply to those words where these two vowels are not pronounced like EE as in BEE.

1. Eight
2. Foreign
3. Height
4. Fiery
5. Weight
6. Leisure
7. Friend
8. Neighbour

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