Why don't English words follow the "I before E" rule?
One question we get asked a lot is why so many English words don't follow the "i before e" rule: i before e except after c. Well, the English language can be inconsistent. This is what makes English such a vibrant and expressive language, but it can also make it a nightmare to learn. We've been influenced by languages with such different spelling paradigms that we don't have tidy orthography.
Is "I" before "E" or "except after C"?
The "I before E except after C" rule is highly inconsistent in the English language and should not be considered a solid rule. Some exceptions include "weird," "forfeit," "albeit," "glacier," and "seize," all of which break this well known saying. One question we get asked a lot is why so many English words don't follow ...
I Before E, Except After C
Have you ever memorized the chorus of a song? You may sing a few lines over and over, but you can’t remember what comes after the section you know. Many people recite the mnemonic “I before E, except after C.” They either don’t remember or never learned the rest of the rhyme.
I before E
Would you like a piece of cake? Jerry will believe anything. They’re planting new grass on the football field .
Except after C
Darnell received an A on his spelling test. Jeremy spotted a spider on the ceiling . I never expected such deceit from you!
What words violate the rule of thumb?
The Wikipedia article on the rule even lists out words that violate both parts of the rule simultaneously: cheiromancies, cleidomancies, eigenfrequencies, obeisancies, oneiromancies. Of course, those are not words we use very often, and a rule of thumb shouldn't be obliged to deal with them.
Does the rule get better with extra qualifications?
The rule does get better with extra qualifications. You may have learned it as follows:
Is "I before E" true?
In fact, when Mark Liberman at Language Log ran the numbers on a large sample of newspaper text to see how well the rule accounted for the facts, he found that the rule "I before E no matter what" actually did a slightly better job, even though that rule is obviously not true.
What are some examples of words that don't follow the rule of except after C?
Some of those words are when the 'ei' combination makes a long 'i' or long 'e' sound. Some example words are ceiling, receipt, and deceive.
What does it mean to enroll in a course?
Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams.
Do words that end in O drop the E?
Some words that end in o do not drop the e when adding an ing. This man is tired from hoeing.
Is "ei" hard to pronounce?
either (this word is doubly hard because there are 2 excepted pronunciations of the 'ei'. It can be a long 'e' sound or a long 'i' sound.
Do words have the 'e' and 'i' following the 'c'?
Some words, like ancient, have the 'e' and 'i' following the 'c', but don't flip. They follow the original rule.
Why is the I before E rule worth learning?
Still, spelling rules like this one are worth learning because they provide a framework that makes the exceptions stand out. The I before E rule may not be perfect, but it’s still useful. English is a language that’s borrowed heavily from a lot of other languages.
Is "IE" a rule?
If you’re writing a word that makes the long E sound, then as a rule it should be IE, as in piece, brief, thief, and chief. But it should be EI if the combo comes after C (like perceive, deceit, and receipt) or you’re looking for the long A sound (as in reign, surveillance, and their ). Theoretically, that’s the extent of the rule, and it should cover all your bases, right? No, it doesn’t. Watch this.
Have you heard the phrase "you have heard it before"?
You’ve heard it before (or at least the first half). We’ve heard it before. Pretty much every student of English since 1866 (when the first two lines showed up as a footnote in James Stuart Laurie’s Manual of English Spelling) has heard it before.
Can you do X but not Y?
A lot of times you’ll come across articles about English grammar that are like “You can do X, but not Y, and if you do Z your writing will be bad and you should feel bad.”. OK, ouch. On the one hand, yes, English does have a lot of helpful rules in place that have developed over hundreds of years.
When to write "I" before "E"?
I before E: Write i before e when the sound is long e except after the letter c. Examples: relieve, relief, reprieve. When there is a c preceding, then it is ei : receipt, receive, ceiling, deceive, conceive.
When to use the e suffix?
Keep the e when the suffix begins with a consonant: state, statement; use, useful.
What is the pattern of vowel consonant e?
Vowel-Consonant-e Pattern: When a short word, or the last syllable of a longer word, ends in this pattern vowel-consonant-e, then the first vowel is usually long and the e is silent. Examples: place, cake, mice, vote, mute.
When a one syllable word ends in a consonant preceded by one vowel?
When a one-syllable word ends in a consonant preceded by one vowel, double the final consonant before adding a suffix which begins with a vowel. This is also called the 1-1-1 rule, i.e., one syllable, one consonant, one vowel! Example: bat, batted, batting, batter.
When do you double the consonant?
When the final syllable does not have the end-accent, it is preferred, and in some cases required, that you NOT double the consonant. Examples: focus, focused; worship, worshiped.
Can you learn to spell?
Basic Spelling Rules Explained. You can teach yourself to be a better speller. It is important to realize that learning to spell is a process that is never complete. Spelling is something that everyone has to pay attention to and keep working at it.
