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Common Spelling Rules1

This document provides an overview of common spelling rules in American English to help students improve their spelling. It defines prefixes and suffixes and discusses long and short vowel sounds. Some key spelling rules covered are using 'i before e' except after 'c'; dropping 'e' before suffixes starting with vowels; doubling consonants before suffixes under certain conditions; and patterns for making words plural or changing tense with suffixes. The document encourages practice to become a better speller over time.

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Karitza Keny
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135 views

Common Spelling Rules1

This document provides an overview of common spelling rules in American English to help students improve their spelling. It defines prefixes and suffixes and discusses long and short vowel sounds. Some key spelling rules covered are using 'i before e' except after 'c'; dropping 'e' before suffixes starting with vowels; doubling consonants before suffixes under certain conditions; and patterns for making words plural or changing tense with suffixes. The document encourages practice to become a better speller over time.

Uploaded by

Karitza Keny
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Common Spelling Rules

Spelling in American English is not always easy! There are many rules that can help a
student to improve their spelling. Here are a few tips and vocabulary words.

Definition of common terms:
Suffix: groups of letters attached to the end of a word to change the words meaning
Prefix: groups of letters attached to the beginning of a word to change the words
meaning
Long and Short vowel sounds: When a vowel sounds like its name in a word, that is
called a long vowel sound (example: The o in go makes an oh sound). When the
vowel does not sound like its name, it is a short vowel sound.

Some Spelling Rules:

1) Use i before e, except after c, or when sounding like "a" as in
"neighbor" and "weigh."
Examples: piece, chief, perceive, ceiling
Some exceptions: neighbor, weird, height, neither, weigh,
foreign

2) Drop the final ein a word before adding a suffix beginning with a vowel (a, e, i,
o, u) but not before a suffix beginning with a consonant.
Examples: ride + ing = riding, guide + ance = guidance, like + ness = likeness,
arrange + ment = arrangement

3) Change a final y to i before a suffix, unless the suffix begins with i.
Examples: party + es = parties, try + es = tries, try + ing = trying, copy + ing =
copying

4) Double a final single consonant before adding a suffix when the word ends with
a single vowel followed by a single consonant AND the consonant ends an
accented syllable or a one-syllable word.
Examples: stop + ing = stopping, occur + ence = occurrence,
swim + ing = swimming

5) The letter q is usually followed by u.
Example: queen, quick, quality
BCCC Tutoring Center Rev. 4/2011
6) The letter s never follows x.

7) The consonants v, j, k, w and x are never doubled.

8) Adding a prefix to a word does not usually change
the spelling.
Examples: bi + cycle= bicycle, re + act= react

9) To make a word plural, if the word ends with a consonant and y, change the y to
an i and add es.
Example: baby plural is babies

10) To make a long vowel sound, you need to add a second vowel.
Examples: boat, cheap, paid

11) When y is at the end of a 2 syllable word, it usually stands for the long e sound.
Example: baby, penny, candy

12) If a one syllable word has 2 vowels, the first vowel is usually long and the
second is usually silent.
Example: wheel, leaf, team

13) Words ending in a vowel and y can add the suffix -ed or -ing without making any
other change.
Examples: buying, delaying, employed

14) When the letters ey are at the end of a 2 syllable word, they usually stand for
the long e sound.
Examples: donkey, valley, money

These are not all of the spelling rules in the English language, but these rules should help
with many common mistakes. Learning English is a long process, but with lots of
practice, you will improve!


BCCC Tutoring Center Rev. 4/2011

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