I understand many English speakers dread this topic. Let's face it, English spelling is not easy, but it's not impossible to master it either. Seriously. People can learn to spell properly, but let's face it again: if you have struggled with spelling most of your life, you are not going to become an expert from one day to the other. This requires time, motivation, patience and a keen interest to learn. But you will get there, honestly. If you have always thought you are rubbish at spelling and keep doing so, that won't help. Get that negative thought off your head and think that you can do it. Positive thinking, yes, even with spelling.

A warning: Rules are there to be kept, of course, but when it come to spelling, I wouldn't trust them. There are always exceptions to those rules, so beware. Ah! Also, DO NOT trust spell-checkers either, they are not made to understand meaning, so you must use your best judgement when deciding on a particular word. All said.

Let's go for it!

Some Essential Spelling Rules

1) I before E, except after C (Or when sounds like A as in neighbor (neighbour) and weigh

Examples, believe, friend, receive, conceive

Exceptions, foreign, weird, ancient, sufficient (the C in the last two words sounds SH)

2) Words that double the final consonant when adding a suffix that begins with a vowel

Examples, sit + ing = sitting; get + ing = getting

Exceptions, paint + ed = painted; feel + ing = feeling

3) Words that drop the final E when adding a suffix that begins with a vowel

Examples, cope + ing = coping; have + ing = having

Exceptions, peace + able = peaceable; change + able = changeable

4) Words that change Y to I when adding a suffix not beginning with I

Examples, apply + ed = applied; fly + es = flies

5) Nouns that end with S, SS, SH, CH, and X form the plural by adding ES

Examples, church + es = churches; boss + es = bosses

6) Nouns ending in Y change in the plural to I + ES

Examples, country + ies = countries; cry + ies = cries

7) Nouns ending in For FE change in the plural to V + ES

Examples, wolf + ves = wolves; wife + ves = wives

A TRADITIONAL SPELLING METHOD

LOOK – COVER – WRITE – CHECK

That's it! Short and sweet (just wait for the next lesson…). Now try the following task and you’ll be ready to face what’s coming…

Free Task - Find two or three examples of words for each rule above. Use a dictionary

Examples:

1) niece, field

2) planning, spotted

3) making, leaving

4) cried, studied

5) boxes, businesses

6) studies, libraries

7) knives, lives