The Quick and Easy Guide to
Common Spelling Rules
As children, most of us learn to spell the same way we learn to speak and read, constant repetition with near constant correction from teachers, parents and others. As adults, it's hard to recreate this process. However, there are some things we can do to improve our spelling.
Reading is, of course, an excellent way to build spelling skills. Repeated exposure to words in context encourages recall and recognition of individual words and letter patterns.
Another way to improve spelling is to pay attention to those spelling patterns that give us trouble. Below are some common spelling rules that seem to give writers problems. This is not meant to be a comprehensive list of rules. Nor is it meant to replace the dictionary as a primary tool to check spelling. But it may help get some writers over a few "trouble spots."
Plurals
- Add s to most words (computers, offices)
- Add es to words ending in s, ch, sh, and x (boxes, watches)
- Add s to words ending in y after a vowel and to all proper names ending in y (trays, Kennedys)
- Add ies to words ending in y after a consonant (companies, pennies)
- Add s to words ending in o after a vowel (videos)
- Add es to words ending in o after a consonant (heroes)
- Add s or es as appropriate to the major word in hyphenated compound words (mothers-in-law)
Some exceptions: children, criteria, data, media, men, women
"i before e ..." (achievement, patient)
- "...except after c..." (perceive, receipt)
- "...and in the sound ay as in hay (neighbor, weigh)"
Some exceptions: either, neither, height, foreign, leisure, seize
Prefixes and Suffixes
- Adding a prefix usually does NOT change the root spelling (misspent, unnecessary)
- Drop the silent e when adding a suffix beginning with a vowel (advancing, believable)
- Keep the silent e when adding a suffix beginning with a consonant ... (achievement, likeness)
- ...unless the e follows a vowel (arguing, truly)
- Double the consonant when adding a suffix beginning with a vowel if:
- the final consonant is preceded by a single vowel and
- the consonant ends a stressed syllable or one-syllable word
(beginning, committed, occurrence)
Some exceptions: changeable, mobile, dying
Alternative British Spelling
- British/Canadian spellings may vary (cancelled, colour, cheque, centre, defence, realise)
- Check dictionary if writing for an audience overseas
Click here for the Merriam-Webster Dictionary On-line
Written By: George Knox © 2017
E-mail: [email protected]