Spelling & One-Word Substitution • Topic 1 of 4
Spelling Rules
A few rules cover most spelling items: 'I before E except after C'; double the final consonant when adding -ed/-ing to a stressed short-vowel syllable; drop a silent 'e' before a vowel suffix but keep it before a consonant suffix.
The four rules that cover most words
| Rule | Example | Exception |
|---|---|---|
| i before e, except after c | believe, receive | weird, seize |
| Double consonant before -ed/-ing (short stressed vowel) | begin → beginning, refer → referred | — |
| Drop silent e before a vowel suffix | write → writing | — |
| Keep silent e before a consonant suffix | care → careful | — |
Watch silent letters. know, hour, doubt, honest, psychology, knee — letters you don't hear are exactly where errors hide. Sound the word out, then check for hidden letters.
✅ Solved examples
1. Add -ing to "begin".
Beginning (double the n).
2. Add -ing to "write".
Writing (drop the silent e).
3. Fill the gap: rec__ve (i/e order).
Receive ("e before i" after c).
4. Add -ed to "refer".
Referred (double the r).
✏️ Practice — try these, take hints as needed
1. Add -ing to "run".
Short vowel.
Double n.
—
Running
2. Add -ful to "care".
Consonant suffix.
Keep the e.
—
Careful
3. Correct: "beleive" or "believe"?
i before e.
—
—
Believe
4. Add -ing to "stop".
Double p.
—
—
Stopping
5. Correct: "recieve" or "receive"?
After c.
—
—
Receive
📝 Topic test — 8 questions
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Formula Reference Sheet
This chapter
Spelling rules & cues
| "i before e" | except after c — believe, receive |
|---|---|
| Double the consonant | before -ed/-ing on short-vowel words: stop → stopping |
| Silent letters | know, hour, doubt, psychology |
| One-word sub method | identify the key idea, then recall the term |
SSC reference
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