Fundamental

Spelling Rules C
With texting, instant messaging, Twitter, email, and other forms of electronic
communication, spelling has taken a backseat to peoples desire to connect
quickly and yet be understood. For example, look at the following conversa-
tion between two people:
m4c? *$? miss u :-(
kcu@2

That same conversation written formally would read:

Do you want to meet for coffee? How about Starbucks? Im sad
because I miss you.

Okay. I will see you at 2 oclock.

Taking shortcuts with spelling (and proper capitalization) is fine when

you are texting, but in academic and business writing, spelling counts, and
you should avoid using informal spelling, including the lower case i and ab-
breviated words, such as c for see, u for you, k for okay, or 4 for for.
This appendix and Appendix E: Confusing and Misused Word Pairs will
help you communicate more effectively when you are required to write formal
academic essays, scientific reports, personal resumes, reference letters, appli-
cation letters, and job applications.
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KEEPING TRACK OF SPELLING ERRORS

You should know what words you consistently misspell. Once you start to
keep track of the words you misspell, you may notice that your misspellings
follow patterns. Knowing only a few spelling rules can help you correct the
majority of your spelling mistakes.
A simple way to track misspellings is to keep a chart of any word marked
as misspelled in any paper you write. Use the chart at the end of this appendix
to record the misspelled word, provide the correct spelling, and supply the
spelling rule that corrects the error.

1
2 C Fundamental Spelling Rules

You can use the following example as a model.

Misspelled Word Correct Spelling General Rule

recieved received i before e except after c
diging digging In one syllable words, double the
final consonant when a single vowel
precedes last consonant
hopeing hoping Drop the final e with a suffix that
starts with a vowel
sieze seize i before e except after c
nieghbor neighbor i before e except after c

USING A DICTIONARY
When you write, you should follow the three-foot rule: keep a dictionary within
three feet of you. The dictionary may be a traditional paper dictionary or an
electronic dictionary; regardless, you should have a dictionary within reach
when you write.
If you look a word up in a paper dictionary, place a small check mark by the
word. If you use an electronic dictionary, keep a list of those words you repeat-
edly look up in your electronic spell-checker on a 3 x 5 card so that you can slip
the card into the spell-checkers case. Whether you use a paper dictionary and/
or an electronic dictionary, if you find yourself coming back to the same word
regularly, you need to make a concentrated effort to learn to spell the word.

USING ELECTRONIC SPELLING AIDS

Most everyone who composes with a word processor uses the spell-checker
that accompanies the software, and while the word processor can save you
time by changing simply misspelled words to their correct spelling as you type
and identifying misspellings that the dictionary program may not recognize,
you need to take the time to proofread your own writing because spell-checkers
do not recognize homophones, words that sound similar, but are spelled dif- Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

ferently, for example, are and our or to, too, and two or their, there, and theyre.
In 1992, Mark Eckman composed the following poem to caution people
not to rely on only spell-checkers. The poem, as Mr. Eckman originally com-
posed it, contains eight spelling errors, which are italicized, that a spell-
checker does not recognize.
I have a spelling checker
It came with my PC
It highlights for my review
Mistakes I cannot sea.
I ran this poem thru it
 C Fundamental Spelling Rules 3

Im sure your pleased to no

Its letter perfect in its weigh
My checker told me sew.

Since 1992, multiple versions of the above poem have appeared on the
Internet; to see many of the variations, type I have a spelling checker poem
into your favorite search engine.
In addition to a word processors spell-checker, you also have access to
electronic dictionaries and online dictionaries. Electronic dictionaries are es-
sentially handheld computers on which you can type a word as you think it is
spelled. The electronic dictionary will provide a selection of words from which
you may choose. Most electronic dictionaries even pronounce the words. An
electronic dictionary may hold up to 500,000 words as well as their synonyms
and antonyms. They may also include multiple language guides, including
Spanish, Italian, German, and French. Some of the dictionaries also include
an English usage guide.
Online dictionaries, such as dictionary.com or Merriam-Webster.com, can
also provide you the proper spelling of a word as well as the opportunity to
listen to how the word is pronounced and how to use the word in a sentence.
The word entry also provides the words part of speech and a brief etymology
of the word. So as long as you have access to the Internet, you will always have
ready access to a dictionary.

THE ENGLISH ALPHABET

The English alphabet has twenty-six letters, and they fall into two categories:
vowels and consonants. The vowels are a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes y can also
act as a vowel. The consonants are b, c, d, f, g, h, j, k, l, m, n, p, q, r, s, t, v, w, x, and
z. When y is not behaving as a vowel (as in the word sky), then it is a consonant
(as in the word yellow).
Vowel sounds can be long or short. A long vowel sounds like the vowels
when you recite the alphabet. For example, the word cake has the a sound; it
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is like the sound of an a when you recite the alphabet. The short vowel sound
of an a is the sound in mask, cat, and brag.
When the sound a letter or combination of letters makes is discussed, vir-
gules (//) are placed around the description of the sound. For instance, when
discussing the ci in physician, you would say the ci makes the /sh/ sound.

SPELLING RULES
As stated earlier, the following rules will come in handy when you are add-
ing words to your chart of misspelled words. Write the applicable rules in
the right-hand column, and you will see that you will begin to internalize the
rules and apply them to your spelling.
4 C Fundamental Spelling Rules

RULE 1: i before e except after c

Learn the following poem in order to remember what order an i and an e are
placed within words:
i before e except after c
unless it says a as in neighbor and weigh.
Basically, the verse tells you if the i and e come after a c, then the e comes
first as in receive. It also tells you that if the vowel sound in the word sounds
like a long a, then the e comes first again, as in neighbor and weigh and vein. In
all other cases, the i will precede the e as in niece, friend, believe, and achieve.
Of course, there are exceptions to this rule; it wouldnt be English if there
werent exceptions. Here is a list of words that do not follow this rule; learn
them.
either protein sovereign forfeited
neither heifer seized leisure
weird foreign counterfeit

RULE 2: When adding -ing to a word, if the word is a one-syllable word that
follows the consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) pattern, double the final
consonant before adding the -ing.
dig = digging
mop = mopping
nap = napping
run = running
pet = petting

This rule also applies to words that have two syllables and the second syl-
lable follows the CVC pattern and is also the accented (emphasized) syllable.
remit = remittance
refer = referred Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

concur = concurrent

RULE 3: When adding -ing (or any other suffix that begins with a vowel) to a
word that ends in a silent e, drop the e before adding the -ing.
hope = hoping
ache = aching
fame = famous
globe = global
offense = offensive
 C Fundamental Spelling Rules 5

However, if the suffix begins with a consonant, such as -ful, you leave the
final e on the base word.
hope = hopeful
spite = spiteful
love = loveless
age = ageless

But, if the word ends in -ce or -ge and the incoming vowel is an a, o, or u,
you cannot omit the silent e.
manage = manageable
courage = courageous
notice = noticeable

RULE 4: Words that end in y must have the y changed to i before adding any
suffix.
body = bodily
happy = happiness
puppy = puppies
vary = various
merry = merriment

RULE 5: When deciding whether to use -le, -el, or -al at the end of a word,
look carefully at the letter that precedes these endings.
Table, local, and towel all sound as if they have the same ending, yet each
one has a different spelling for the ending sound. How can you tell which end-
ing to use?
Look at these groups of letters: b d f h k l t and g j p q y
The first group all have lines that go upward; the second group all have
lines that point downward. Lines that point up are called ascenders, and lines
that point down are called descenders. If a word has an ascender or a de-
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scender preceding the /el/ sound, then the -le ending is used most of the time.
table
apple
candle
single
rifle

If the word does NOT have an ascender or a descender preceding the last
/el/ sound, then you use -le or -al.
6 C Fundamental Spelling Rules

With these two options, how do you know which one to use? While there
is not a hard and fast rule, some helpful information does exist. The -al ending
is used for mostly adjectives, but some nouns. The -le ending is the least com-
mon ending (so you wont be using it much), and it is used mostly for nouns
and verbs.
usual (adjective)
local (adjective)
tunnel (noun)
camel (noun)
travel (verb)

RULE 6: The /ch/ sound has two spellings. Use tch after a short vowel and ch
anywhere else.

Short vowel: witch EXCEPTIONS: which touch

catch rich attach
botch much such
kitchen bachelor sandwich
sketch ostrich

Anywhere else: chapter

church
munch

Exception: If the /ch/ sound is followed by ure, use a t for the /ch/ sound
as in picture and rapture.
RULE 7: When the /sh/ sound occurs before a suffix that begins with a vowel,
it is spelled with a ti, si, or ci.

partialcautiouspatientvacationnutritionquotientinertiasuction Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

pensionsuspensiontensionexpulsion

specialdeficientsuspicionmusicianphysicianopticianelectrician

When deciding whether to use -cian, -tion, or -sion, remember these help-
ful hints.
-cian is always used when the word refers to a person, and -tion and
-sion are never used for people.
musician, electrician, physician
 C Fundamental Spelling Rules 7

If the root word ends in a /t/, then use -tion.

complete = completion
vacate = vacation

If the root word ends in an s or d, then use sion.

suppress = suppression
extend = extension

If the sound of the last syllable is the heavy sound /zhun/ and not the
soft sound /shun/, then use -sion.
confusion, vision, adhesion

RULE 8: When the consonants b, d, g, m, n, or p are after a short vowel in a

word with two syllables, you must double that consonant.
manner
rabbit
banner
dinner

RULE 9: Do not confuse the -ed of a past tense verb with the letter t because
of the /t/ sound.
Mist and missed and passed and past sound exactly alike when you speak,
but the spellings are quite different. When you are writing, you must be care-
ful to pay attention to the part of speech you are using. If you are writing a
past tense verb, add -ed. If you are writing a noun (such as mist or past) or an
adjective (such as the other usage of past), then use a t.

Misspelled Word Correct Spelling General Rule

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8 C Fundamental Spelling Rules

Misspelled Word Correct Spelling General Rule

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