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Basic Spelling Rules

Computer spell checkers are good at picking up actual spelling errors. But they're limited; they can't pick up the very common error of confusing words with similar spellings.

You might already be familiar with some of the rules for spelling, such as those that apply when you add suffixes to words that end in a silent e and in y, as well as rules for forming plurals. For example, for words that end in y, you change the y to i when you need to add es or ed. So comply becomes complies and complied.

You may find spelling difficult because many words contain silent letters, other than e, for example:

• silent b, as in debt, subtle, and doubt
• silent c, as in obsolescence, acquaintance, and indict
• silent g, as in foreign, freight, sign, height, strength, and through
• silent k, as in knight, knock, and know
• silent i, as in liaison, praise, and achieve
• silent n, as in hymn, column, and condemn
• silent p, as in psychology and pneumonia
• silent t, as in mortgage, listen, and often

Some people find that mnemonics – or memory aids – are useful in remembering how to spell words that contain silent letters. You can also use pronunciation aids to help you remember the spellings of words.

A useful memory aid is the phrase i before e, except after c. When a word has an i and an e together after any letter other than c, you spell the word with ie. Examples of this rule are achieve, yield, and retrieve. If it follows a c, you normally use ei, as in perceive, deceive, and receipt.

There are several exceptions to the ie rule. When the word sounds like a as in weigh, the e comes first. Other examples are neighbor, reign, and feint. And exceptions when you have an ie after the c are science, ancient, and financier.

A rule that applies when you add a suffix to a word is that you double the final consonant. There are two particular instances when you do this:

• single syllable words that end with vowel and consonant – When a one-syllable word ends in one vowel followed by a consonant, and the suffix begins with a vowel, you double the final consonant. So scan plus the suffix ing becomes scanning – you double the n.
• multisyllable words with accented final syllable – Whether you double the final consonant sometimes depends on how the word is pronounced. If there's more than one syllable and the last syllable is accented – and the suffix begins with a vowel – you double the final consonant. For instance, occur becomes occurred when you add ed and occurrence when you add ence.

You don't double this final consonant if it's a y, k, or x. So buy becomes buying, and the past tense of fix is fixed. Many other exceptions trip people up when a suffix is added. For instance, the plural of bus is buses.

Becoming a better speller

You can become a better speller by following some tips. Remember that you just have to memorize some words. Many words have odd spellings or don't adhere to the rules. Examples include coolly, woolly, embarrass, harass, calendar, and itinerary. Words like yacht, buoy, and quay can be tricky too because their spelling differs from the way they're pronounced.

Remembering two basic rules, one for adding prefixes and the other for adding suffixes, will go a long way in helping you to spell better. The rule for prefixes applies in every instance, whereas the rule for suffixes applies to one tricky suffix ending:

• When you add a prefix, you don't drop letters from the original word. So equal becomes unequal.
• When you add the suffix ful to a word, you always end with only one l. So hope becomes hopeful.

Another useful way to help your spelling is to improve the way you say words. For example, to help you remember that separate has two a's, pronounce it as "sep-a-rate." Other words that you pronounce as they're spelled are asterisk, boundary, and Arctic.

You can become a better speller by doing certain things:

• keep a list of difficult-to-spell words and review it often
• use a dictionary whenever you're not sure
• use memory aids – for example, visualize a word that you struggle with
• try to learn a new word, even if it's just one a day
• play word games and do crossword puzzles

Several basic spelling rules can help you become a better speller. Some apply to words ending in silent e and words ending in y. The rule i before e except after c helps you know whether to use ie or ei in a word. Other rules apply to adding suffixes to words that end in consonants and memorizing exceptions and words that contain other silent letters. You can help yourself learn to spell better by recognizing that some words must be memorized, knowing rules for adding a prefix and suffix, and improving your pronunciation. Knowing your weaknesses, using a dictionary, and reviewing difficult words will also help.