Spelling Rules

1. I before E except after C or when it sounds like A as in Neighbor or Weigh.

Examples: achieve, friend, chief, niece, ceiling, deceit, receive, believe, weigh, reign

Exceptions: either, leisure, neither, seize, weird

2. The only English word ending in -sede is supersede. The only words ending in -ceed are exceed, proceed, and succeed. Most other words end with -cede.

Examples: concede, precede, secede, intercede

3. When adding a prefix, do not change the spelling of the original word.

Examples: im+mortal=immortal, re+elect=reelect, mis+spell= misspell

4. To form the plural of most English words, add -s

Examples: boats, houses, nickels

5. For nouns ending in s, x, z, ch, or sh, add -es

Examples: glasses, boxes, waltzes, beaches

6. For nouns ending in y preceded by a consonant, change the y to i and add -es

Examples: armies, babies, skies, mysteries

7. For proper nouns, add -s

Examples: Kennedys

8. For nouns ending in a y preceded by a vowel, add-s

Examples:joys, keys, toys

9. For some nouns ending in f or fe, add-s. For others, change the f or fe, to v and add- es.

Examples: beliefs, roofs, safes, giraffes, calves, wives, leaves, shelves

10. For nouns ending in an o preceded by a vowel, add-s

Examples: radios, patios, stereos

11. For nouns ending in an o preceded by a consonant add-es.

Examples: echoes, heroes, vetoes, tomatoes, potatoes.

Rule Breakers: pianos, tacos

12. Some plurals are irregular

Example: foot/feet, child/children, mouse/mice, goose/geese

13. For some nouns the singular and plural are the same.

Examples: deer, sheep, Japanese