Skip to content
Login

Spelling is the art of correctly combining letters to form words according to accepted usage. It is a fundamental part of the English language. Unlike many Indian languages, English is not always phonetic. This means words are not always written exactly how they sound. For example, 'Psychology' starts with a silent 'P', and 'Queue' is pronounced just like the letter 'Q'. This gap between sound and writing makes spellings a challenging topic for many students.

Concepts (3)

This rule states that 'i' usually comes before 'e' in a word. However, if these letters follow the letter 'c', the order changes to 'ei'. This helps you remember words like 'Relief' and 'Ceiling'.

This rule states that 'i' usually comes before 'e' in a word. However, if these letters follow the letter 'c', the order changes to 'ei'. This helps you remember words like 'Relief' and 'Ceiling'. Note that there are exceptions like 'Height' or 'Seize'. Example: 'Believe' has 'ie' because there is no 'c'.

Depth 0/5
Start Lesson

When a word ends in a consonant followed by 'y', change the 'y' to 'i' before adding any suffix (except those starting with 'i' like -ing). This is seen in words like 'Beauty' which becomes 'Beautiful'.

When a word ends in a consonant followed by 'y', change the 'y' to 'i' before adding any suffix (except those starting with 'i' like -ing). This is seen in words like 'Beauty' which becomes 'Beautiful'. If there is a vowel before 'y', just add the suffix, like 'Play' to 'Played'.

Depth 0/5
Start Lesson

English has many words where certain letters are written but not spoken. These are called silent letters. Common examples include the 'k' in 'Knee', the 'w' in 'Write', and the 'h' in 'Honest'.

English has many words where certain letters are written but not spoken. These are called silent letters. Common examples include the 'k' in 'Knee', the 'w' in 'Write', and the 'h' in 'Honest'. Examiners use these to confuse students who rely only on the sound of the word.

Depth 0/5
Start Lesson

Ready to practice? Start an interactive lesson.

Start Lesson: The 'I before E' Rule