basic spelling rules
If you are uncertain of a word's spelling, consult an online dictionary.
Below are some spelling rules that can help as well.
Below are some spelling rules that can help as well.
-able or -ible?
Use -able for two situations:
Use -ible when you need a soft c sound (S). Ex: forcible, crucible, reducible, reproducible
- When the suffix is paired with a whole word.
Ex: seeable = able to see salvageable = able to salvage
believable = able to believe - When you need a hard c sound (K). Ex: applicable, despicable
- When a word ends in y, drop the y or replace it with an i, and then add -able.
Ex: enviable, variable, carryable or carriable
Use -ible when you need a soft c sound (S). Ex: forcible, crucible, reducible, reproducible
ei or ie?
Generally, the diphthong ei can sound like an E or an A.
- To form the long e sound, use i before e except after c.
- Ex: believe, achieve, receive
- Exceptions: either, neither, weird
- To form the long a sound, use e before i.
- Ex: neighbor, sleigh, weight, veins, reign
ar or or?
For a person who does,
- Generally, use the suffix -er for one-syllable words.
- Ex: diner, writer, miner, diver, climber
- There are several exceptions: designer, reminder, mobilizer
- Ex: diner, writer, miner, diver, climber
- Generally, use the suffix -or for words of more than one syllable.
- Ex: professor, advisor, editor, survivor, supervisor, protector
The k sound
When do you use a k, ch, ck, or c to make the k sound?
Generally, one-syllable words with a short vowel before a k sound will end with ck.
Ex: back, deck, pick, rock, duck
Generally, words with more than one syllable that end with a k sound will end with c.
Ex: specific, horrific, magic, Pacific, scientific
Use the K in two situations:
Generally, one-syllable words with a short vowel before a k sound will end with ck.
Ex: back, deck, pick, rock, duck
Generally, words with more than one syllable that end with a k sound will end with c.
Ex: specific, horrific, magic, Pacific, scientific
Use the K in two situations:
- A double vowel before the k sound. Ex: seek, book
- A short vowel + a consonant + the k sound. Ex: bark, clerk, smirk, fork, murk
the seed sound
Most words will end with -cede except:
- Supersede, which ends with -sede.
- Three words ending with -ceed: exceed, proceed, succeed.
us or ous?
The suffix -us ends nouns. Ex: caucus, focus, ruckus, sinus, Venus, alumnus
The suffix -ous ends adjectives. Ex: serious, spacious, flirtatious, ostentatious
The suffix -ous ends adjectives. Ex: serious, spacious, flirtatious, ostentatious
prefixes
Do not change a word’s spelling when you add a prefix.
EXAMPLES: misspell, unnecessary
EXAMPLES: misspell, unnecessary
suffixes
1. Do not change a word’s spelling when you add -ly or -ness.
EXAMPLES: beautifully, openness
2. For words ending with a silent e:
3. For words ending in ie, to add -ing, drop the e and change the i to y.
EXAMPLES: lying, trying
4. For words ending with a y:
5. For nouns with more than one syllable, if the last syllable is accented and ends with a vowel + a consonant, double the consonant before adding the suffix.
EXAMPLES: admitted, controlling, forgettable, transmitted, benefited, buffeted
6. Some words have alternative spellings, allowing you to double or not double the consonant. Often this reflects a disparity between American and British spelling.
EXAMPLES: canceled or cancelled, counseled or counselled, stenciled or stencilled, traveled or travelled
EXAMPLES: beautifully, openness
2. For words ending with a silent e:
- To add a suffix that begins with a vowel, drop the silent e.
Ex: shining, famous, spoken, waking, baking, making
Exceptions: noticeable, courageous, gracious - To add a suffix that begins with a consonant, keep the e.
- To avoid confusion, some words have to keep their e.
3. For words ending in ie, to add -ing, drop the e and change the i to y.
EXAMPLES: lying, trying
4. For words ending with a y:
- If a consonant comes before the y, change the y to i.
Ex: dirtier, beautiful, happiest - If a consonant comes before the y but the suffix begins with an i, keep the y.
Ex: crying, applying, spying, trying - If a vowel comes before the y, keep the y.
Ex: grayness, annoying, employed
5. For nouns with more than one syllable, if the last syllable is accented and ends with a vowel + a consonant, double the consonant before adding the suffix.
EXAMPLES: admitted, controlling, forgettable, transmitted, benefited, buffeted
6. Some words have alternative spellings, allowing you to double or not double the consonant. Often this reflects a disparity between American and British spelling.
EXAMPLES: canceled or cancelled, counseled or counselled, stenciled or stencilled, traveled or travelled
spelling plurals
1. Make most nouns plural by adding an s. Ex: chairs, pianos, shoes
2. Some plurals are formed by adding es: nouns ending in s, sh, ch, x, and z. The es makes the word easier to pronounce. Notice that some words double the consonant before adding es.
2. Some plurals are formed by adding es: nouns ending in s, sh, ch, x, and z. The es makes the word easier to pronounce. Notice that some words double the consonant before adding es.
3. For nouns ending in y, change the y to i and then add es. Ex: cities ladies
4. For nouns ending in a vowel + a y (ay, oy, ey), add s. Ex: days boys keys
5. For nouns ending in f or fe, add s most of the time. Sometimes the plural is formed by changing the f to a v and then adding es.
6. Form the plural of a compound noun by making the noun itself plural, rather than the modifiers.
7. For nouns ending in an o:
8. Do use an apostrophe and an s to form the plural in these situations:
4. For nouns ending in a vowel + a y (ay, oy, ey), add s. Ex: days boys keys
5. For nouns ending in f or fe, add s most of the time. Sometimes the plural is formed by changing the f to a v and then adding es.
- Ex: roof to roofs, safe to safes, scarf to scarves, wife to wives
6. Form the plural of a compound noun by making the noun itself plural, rather than the modifiers.
- Ex: sister–in–law becomes sisters–in–law son–in–law becomes sons–in–law
7. For nouns ending in an o:
- If the pattern is a vowel + an o, add s.
- Ex: cameos, patios, radios
- If the pattern is a consonant + an o, add es.
- Ex: dominoes, echoes, heroes, potatoes, tomatoes, vetoes, volcanoes
- Ex: dominoes, echoes, heroes, potatoes, tomatoes, vetoes, volcanoes
8. Do use an apostrophe and an s to form the plural in these situations:
9. To form the plurals of abbreviations that end with a period, add an apostrophe and an s. Ex: Jr.’s Ph.D.’s M.D.’s
10. To form the plurals of abbreviations not followed by periods, add either an apostrophe and an s, or just s. Ex: ATM’s or ATMs GMO’s or GMOs
11. A few nouns are irregular and don’t follow a set pattern.
10. To form the plurals of abbreviations not followed by periods, add either an apostrophe and an s, or just s. Ex: ATM’s or ATMs GMO’s or GMOs
11. A few nouns are irregular and don’t follow a set pattern.
12. Some nouns are spelled the same, whether singular or plural.
13. Some nouns originally from other languages, such as Latin or French, tend to take the plural ending of the original language.
14. In particular, nouns that end with -is tend to form the plural with -es.
writing numbers
1. A cardinal number expresses an amount. If you can type it in one word or two, write the cardinal number out. If the cardinal number would be longer than two words, write it in numeral form.
Do be consistent, however, so in a certain context if you need to write some numbers in numeral form, write other numbers in numeral form.
INCONSISTENT The district has over 2,500 students with a student-teacher ratio of seventeen to one.
CONSISTENT he district has over 2,500 students with a student-teacher ratio of 17 to 1.
2. Sometimes writing numbers beside each other can cause confusion. In that case, write one number as numerals and the other in word form.
CONFUSING I bought two ten-pound dumbbells on Amazon.
BETTER I bought 2 ten-pound pound dumbbells on Amazon.
BETTER I bought two 10-pound pound dumbbells on Amazon.
3. If a number begins a sentence, spell it out. If spelling it out seems awkward, revise the sentence to move the number elsewhere.
AWKWARD 47% of students are female.
IMPROVED Forty-seven percent of students are female.
AWKWARD 2,653 students are enrolled in the district.
AWKWARD Two thousand six hundred fifty-three students are enrolled in the district.
IMPROVED According to Niche.com, 2,653 students are enrolled in the district.
4. An ordinal number expresses degree, quality, or order. Spell out ordinal numbers.
Ex: first, second, third
5. Spell out numbers paired with o'clock. Ex: seven o'clock
6. Use numerals in these situations:
Do be consistent, however, so in a certain context if you need to write some numbers in numeral form, write other numbers in numeral form.
INCONSISTENT The district has over 2,500 students with a student-teacher ratio of seventeen to one.
CONSISTENT he district has over 2,500 students with a student-teacher ratio of 17 to 1.
2. Sometimes writing numbers beside each other can cause confusion. In that case, write one number as numerals and the other in word form.
CONFUSING I bought two ten-pound dumbbells on Amazon.
BETTER I bought 2 ten-pound pound dumbbells on Amazon.
BETTER I bought two 10-pound pound dumbbells on Amazon.
3. If a number begins a sentence, spell it out. If spelling it out seems awkward, revise the sentence to move the number elsewhere.
AWKWARD 47% of students are female.
IMPROVED Forty-seven percent of students are female.
AWKWARD 2,653 students are enrolled in the district.
AWKWARD Two thousand six hundred fifty-three students are enrolled in the district.
IMPROVED According to Niche.com, 2,653 students are enrolled in the district.
4. An ordinal number expresses degree, quality, or order. Spell out ordinal numbers.
Ex: first, second, third
5. Spell out numbers paired with o'clock. Ex: seven o'clock
6. Use numerals in these situations: