The document provides rules for improving spelling by learning about prefixes, suffixes, and other patterns in English spelling. It discusses keeping doubled letters when adding prefixes or suffixes, dropping or keeping silent e's, changing y to i before suffixes, and doubling final consonants in some cases. It also covers exceptions to rules about ie/ei spellings and the three suffixes pronounced "seed".

1. Improving Your Spelling
The following rules can help you
eliminate spelling errors, so learn them.

2. Prefixes
When a prefix is added to a word, the spelling of the
word remains the same. When a prefix creates a
double letter, keep both letters.
●il - + legible = illegible
●im - + movable = immovable

3. The Suffixes -ness and -ly
When the suffix - ly is added to a word ending in l,
keep both l’s. When –ness is added to a word ending
in n, keep both n’s.
●natural + - ly = naturally
●open + - ness = openness

4. When a suffix beginning with a vowel or y is added
to a word ending in a silent e, the e is usually
dropped.
desire + - able = desirable
pore + - ous = porous
Suffixes with Silent e

5. When a suffix beginning with a consonant is added to a word
ending with a silent e, the e is usually retained.
blame + - less = blameless
lone + - ly = lonely
Exceptions: truly, argument, ninth, wholly and awful
Suffixes with Silent e

6. When a suffix beginning with a or o is added to a
word with a final silent e, the final e is usually
retained if it is preceded by a soft c or a soft g.
outrage + - ous = outrageous
change + - able = changeable

7. When a suffix beginning with a vowel is added to
words ending in ee or oe the final silent e is retained.
agree + - ing = agreeing

8. Suffixes with a Final y
When a suffix is added to a word ending in y, and
the y is preceded by a consonant, the y is changed to
i except with the suffix –ing.
party + -es = parties
but carry + - ing = carrying

9. Suffixes with a final Y
When a suffix is added to a word ending in y preceded by a
vowel, the y usually does not change.
●pay + - able = payable
Exceptions: daily and gaily

10. Words Ending in a Consonant
In one-syllable words that end with a single consonant
preceded by a single vowel, double the final consonant before
adding a suffix beginning with a vowel.
●shun + - ed = shunned

11. Words Ending in a Consonant
Do not double the final consonant in one-syllable words
ending in one consonant preceded by two vowels.
●clear + - est = clearest
●coat + - ed = coated

12. Words Ending in a Consonant
●In two-syllable words, double the consonant only if both of
the following conditions exist:
1. The word ends with a single consonant preceded by a single vowel.
2. The word is accented on the second syllable.
Compel’ + - ing = compelling patrol’ + - er = patroller
If the newly formed word is accented on a different syllable,
the final consonant is not doubled.
●de fer’ + - ence = def’er ence

13. Words with ie and ei
●When the sound is long e the word is spelled ie, except
after c. (examples: grieve, yield, perceive, achieve, chief,
deceit)
●When the sound is long a, the word is spelled ei.
sleigh, neighbor, beige, weight
●Exceptions : either, friend, leisure, neither, seize, sieve,
species, weird, forfeit, financier, and Fahrenheit.

14. Words with ie and ei
i before e except after c
or when sounding like "a"
as in neighbor or weigh:
their, weird and either,
foreign, seize and neither,
leisure, forfeit and height
are exceptions spelled right

15. There are three suffixes in English pronounced “seed.” They
are spelled –cede, -ceed, and -sede
●-cede: accede, antecede, cede, concede, intercede, precede,
recede, secede
●-ceed: exceed, proceed, succeed
●-sede: supersede
Words with the “Seed” Sound