Dictionary of English - spelling rules

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Some people are unsure whether to double the last letter of a word when adding suffixes like -ed, -ing, or -er to the word. Below are a number of simple rules.

Most short words of one syllable ending with a single consonant double the last letter: tap – tapped hit – hitting shop – shopper Words ending with more than one consonant don't double the last letter: thump – thumped halt – halting Words of more than one syllable ending with a single consonant double the last letter if the word is stressed on the last syllable: begin – beginner commit – committed occur – occurring prefer – preferring If the stress is not on the last syllable, but an earlier one, the last letter is not doubled: benefit – benefited gallop – galloping pardon – pardoned offer – offering Exceptions: handicap – handicapped kidnap – kidnapper worship – worshipping Words of more than one syllable ending in l double the l even if the stress does not fall on the last syllable: cancel – cancelled travel – travelling jewel – jeweller (These words take a single l in US spelling). Exceptions: appealing paralleled Final consonants are not doubled before suffixes beginning with a consonant: enrol – enrolment commit – commitment fulfil – fulfilment prefer – preferment quarrel – quarrelsome rival – rivalry 2. Keep e?

Some people are unsure whether to keep the final silent e of words when adding suffixes like -ed, -ing, -er, or -ly.

If the suffix begins with a vowel, the e is dropped: hope – hoping dive – diver pursue – pursuing celebrate – celebrated Exception: age – ageing If the suffix begins with a consonant, the e is kept: bare – barely fine – finely woe – woeful refine – refinement care – careless Exceptions: argue – argument awe – awful due – duly true – truly whole – wholly 3. y or i?

Some people are unsure whether to change y at the end of a word to i, when adding -ed, -ing, or -er.

Words ending in y and preceded by a vowel, keep the y: key – keying play – playing annoy – annoying Words ending in y and preceded by a consonant, change the y to i when adding -ed or -er: cry – cried fly – flier carry – carried dusty – dustier But keep the y when adding -ing: cry – crying fly – flying carry – carrying 4. -ful or -full?

Full becomes -ful when added to the end of a word:

beautiful joyful useful mouthful spoonful

Note also:

fulfil fulfilment

But:

fullness 5. Adding mis- and dis-

When adding mis- or dis- to the beginning of a word, there is only one s unless the word itself begins with s:

misheard disagree disappear misspelt disservice dissimilar 6. Adding in- and un-

When adding in- or un- to the beginning of a word, there is only one n unless the word itself begins with n:

inseperable unending innumerable unnecessary 7. i before e except after c

Most people know the rule i before e except after c. This rule works with many words, especially if the sound is ee:

ceiling believe deceive niece receive shield siege

Exceptions (examples):

seize protein weird species Keith Neil Sheila

If the sound is ay the spelling is always ei:

freight neighbour weigh 8. Adding -ly

When -ly is added to a word ending in y, the y changes to an i:

happy – happily necessary –necessarily 9. -ize or -ise?

In British English, many verbs can be spelt either -ize or -ise. -ize is the usual US spelling. Note capsize, prize (to value) which must be spelt -ize.

Words spelt -ise (note that these words can only be spelt -ise; there is no choice in the matter):

nouns: compromise demise disguise enterprise exercise franchise merchandise revise surmise surprise verbs: advertise advise apprise arise chastise circumcise comprise compromise demise despise devise disguise enfranchise enterprise excise exercise improvise incise merchandise premise prise (open) revise supervise surmise surprise televise 10. -able or -ible?

It is not always easy to remember whether a word ends with -able or -ible. Most words end -able, and whenever new words are coined, they are usually spelt -able. There is no simple rule (it depends on the Greek or Latin word from which the word comes), but the set of commonly used words that end -ible is a fairly small one:

accessible audible collapsible combustible compatible comprehensible contemptible convertible credible crucible defensible digestible discernible edible eligible fallible feasible flexible forcible gullible horrible inadmissible incorrigible incorruptible indelible indestructible indivisible inexhaustible inexpressible intelligible invincible irascible irrepressible irresistible legible negligible ostensible perceptible permissible plausible possible reducible reprehensible responsible reversible sensible susceptible tangible terrible visible

Most other adjectives end in -able.