Rules for Spelling
Rules for Spelling :
RULE - 1
Part - 1
Y final, preceded by a consonant, is changed into I on taking a suffix as….
fanc-y …. fanc-i-ful (not fanc-y-ful)
A suffix is something added to the end of a word.
Exception : Befouc ous, y sometimes becomes e as…..
beaut-y …. beaut-e-ous
Exception : Before ing, y is not changed as…..
tarr-y .... t-arr-y-ing
Part – 2
Y final, preceded by a vowel, is not changed on taking a suffix as….
Play …. play-er
Exceptions :
Day, which makes daily.
Lay, pay and say which make laid, paid, and said.
Lay, pay and say together with various other derivatives and compounds as mislaid, unpaid and unsaid.
Exercises : Spell the words formed by adding ful to mercy, plenty, bounty, duty, pity and by adding es and ing to cry, pry, fry, apply, deny, rely ; by adding er and est to merry, sorry, saucy, holy.
Correct any of the following which need correction and give the Rule for each change.
like-ly-hood
handy-craft
quarry-ed
journey-ed
beauty-ful
glory-ous
pity-ous
pity-ful
melody-es
melody-ous
gay-ety
gay-ly
witty-ly
witty-er
betray-er
journey-ing
Name (or write) five examples of y final changed to i.
Name five examples of y final becoming e.
Name five examples of y final not changed.
Name five examples of y final not changed.
RULE - 2
E final, silent
Part – 1
E final, silent, on taking a suffix beginning with a vowel, is dropped as….
Care …. car-ing
Exception – 1
IE on taking the suffix ing, is changed into Y as ….
Die ….. dy-ing
Exception – 2
Dye (to color), hoe and shoe do not drop E on taking the suffix ING as
dye-ing, hoe-ing, shoe-ing
Exception – 3
Singe, swinge and tinge do not drop E on taking the suffix ING. This is to retain the soft sound of the G and to distinguish them from the corresponding forms of sing, swing, ting. Thus…
sing-ing …. singe-ing
swing-ing ….. swinge-ing
ting-ing …. tinge-ing
Exception – 4
CE and GE on taking A suffix beginning with a, o, or u, do not drop the E. This is to retain the soft sound of the C and G. Thus…..
service-able …. not servic-able
change-able …. not chang-able
Part – 2
E final, silent, on taking a suffix beginning with a„consonant, is not dropped as….
Care : careful
Exceptions :
Judgment, lodgment, abridgment, acknowledgment, argument wisdom, nursling
duly, truly, awful, with some corresponding derivatives of due and true, such as…. duty, dutiful, truth, truthful
Exercises : Spell the words formed by adding ing to bite, force, recite by adding able to admire, adore, deplore.
Form the following compounds and give the rule for each change.
ripe-en, ripe-ness, srnoke-ing, lie-ing, sphere-deal, disputeant, tiresome, tie-ing, tie-ed, pave-ment, pave-ing, serve-ice-able, defense-ible, defense-less, cure-able, marriage-able, trace-ing, traceable, fame-ous, courage-ous, re-pulse-ive-ness
Name (or write) five examples of e final dropped.
Name (or write) five examples of ie changed to y.
Name (or write) five examples of e final not dropped.
RULE - 3
Word ending in ll
Words ending in LL drop one L on taking a suffix beginning with a consonant as….
Full - ful-ness
Also sometimes on taking a prefix as…..
full, handful. till, un-til
Note : Words ending in any other double letter are spelled in composition in the same manner as when alone as…..
stiffy - stiff-ness.
Exercises :
Spell the words formed by adding to all the words though, together
by combining with and all
by combining arm and full
Form the following compounds and give the Rule for each change.
full-fill, tall-er, buzz-ing, all-ways, well-come, use-full, all-most, puff-ing
Name (or write) five examples of L dropped on taking a suffix.
Five examples of L dropped on taking a prefix.
RULE – 4
doubling the final consonant
In words accented on the last syllable, a final consonant, if single, and if preceded by a single vowel, is doubled on taking a suffix beginning with a vowel as….
Permit - permit-t-ing
Monosyllables, being always accented, come of course under this Rule.
Note : Here are four conditions.
1. The last syllable must have the accent.
2. It must end in a single consonant.
3. This single consonant must be preceded by a single vowel.
4. The suffix must begin with a vowel.
Examples :
In offer-ing, the first condition is wanting.
In torment-ing, the second condition is wanting.
in appeal-ing, the third condition is wanting.
In atw-ment, the fourth condition is wanting.
Exercises :
Spell the words formed by adding ING and ED to remit and impel.
Spell the words formed by adding IST to drug, machine, novel, natural.
Spell the words formed by adding ER to revel.
Spell the words formed by adding ED to fulfil, rub, fail, refer.
Spell the words formed by adding ING to equal, tail, gallop, hum.
Spell the words formed by adding ANT to assist.
Spell the words formed by adding ENT to excel.
Spell the words formed by adding INE to adamant.
Spell the words formed by adding ALE to alien, origin.
Spell the words formed by adding EN to red, moist, fright.
Spell the words formed by adding AR to consul.
Spell the words formed by adding ER to propel.
Spell the words formed by adding OUS to mountain.
Spell the words formed by adding Y to mud, meal, sleep.
Spell the words formed by adding EE to commit, absent, patent.
Spell the words formed by adding ARD to slug, drunk.
NOTE : In forming each combination, give the RULE applicable to it.
Name (or write) five examples of doubling the final consonant.
Name (or write) five examples in which the first condition only is wanting.
Name (or write) five examples, in which the second condition only is wanting.
Name (or write) five examples, in which the third condition only is wanting.
Name (or write) five examples, in which the fourth condition only is wanting.
RULE – 5
The terminations EIVE and IEVE.
In such words as receive, relieve, etc., EI is used if the letter C precedes as….. receive, deceive.
But IE is used if any other letter precedes as….. relieve, believe.
Exercise : Correct the mistakes, if any, in the following words retreive, perceive, acheive, concieve, beleive.
Rules for Spelling :
Elementary English Grammar Index
