SPELLING RULES

AND
PATTERNS
PLURAL FORMS
OF NOUNS
1. Most nouns add -“s” Car - cars
2. nouns ending in -“s”, -“ss”, -“sh”, -“ch”, - add -“es” Boss- bosses Fox- foxes
“x”, -“z”, C + -“o” Waltz- waltzes
3. nouns ending in –“ch” with the /k/ sound add -“s” Patriarch- patriarchs

4. nouns ending in C+V+ -“z” (limited cases) Double -“z” and add -“es” Quiz – quizzes Fez- fezzes
5. nouns ending in C + -“o” especially words Add -“s” Piano – pianos Adagio – adagios
from other languages Photo – photos
6. nouns ending in V + -“o” Add -“s” Radio – radios Video – videos

7. nouns ending in C + -“y” Drop -“y” and add -“ies” Family – families Party – parties

8. nouns ending in V + -“y” Add -“s” Toy – toys Boy – boys

9. some nouns ending in -“f” or -“fe” Usually add -“ves” Leaf – leaves Loaf – loaves

10. Some nouns ending in -“f” and all those Add -“s” Chief – chiefs Belief – beliefs
ending in -“ff” Cliff - cliffs
11. compound nouns Chief word is pluralised Mother-in-law – mothers-in-law

12. proper nouns Add -“s” The Duddleys The Berrys

VERBS IN THIRD
PERSON
SINGULAR
FORM
1. Most verbs Add -“s” Eat – eats
Sleep – sleeps
2. Verbs ending in -“s”, -“ss”, -“sh”, -“ch”, Add -“es” Watch – watches
-“x”, -“z” (sibilant sounds), and in some Go – goes
ending in -o Wash – washes

3. Some verbs ending in V + -“o” Add -“s” Video – videos

4. Verbs ending in C + -“y” Drop -“y” and add -“ies” Carry – carries

5. Verbs ending in V + -“y” Add -“s” Enjoy - enjoys

6. Verbs ending in -“ch” with the /k/ sound Add -“s”

7. Verbs ending in C+V+ -“z” (Limited Double -“z” and add -“es” Quiz – quizzes
cases)

8. Verbs ending in C + -“o” especially Add -“s”

words from other languages
VERBS + -ING
1. Most verbs Add –ing to the base form Absorb - absorbing

2. Verbs ending in C + -“e” Drop the -“e” and add -ing Save – saving

3. Verbs ending in V or C + -“y” Add –ing to the base form Play – playing copy - copying

4. Verbs ending in –“ie” Drop –“ie” and add -ying Tie – tying

5. One-syllable verbs ending in CVC Double the last C and add -ing Swim – swimming
(except those ending in -“x”, -“y”, -“w” or
-“h”)

6. Verbs with more than one syllable Double the last C and add -ing Begin – beginning
ending in CVC (except those ending in -“x”,
-“y”, -“w” or -“h”)

7. Verbs ending in V + -“l” (British English) Double -“l” and add -ing Travel – travelling
Signal – signalling
8. Verbs ending in V + -“c” Add “k” after the -“c” (to retain the Panic - panicking
/k/ sound)
VERBS + -ED
1. Most verbs Add -ed Visit – visited

2. Verbs ending in -“e” Add -d Die – died

3. Verbs ending in C + -“y” Drop -“y” and add -ied Carry – carried

4. Verbs ending in a V + -“y” Add -ed Play – played

5. One-syllable verbs ending in CVC Double the last C and add -ed Hop – hopped
(except those ending in -“x”, -“y”, -
“w” or -“h”)
6. Verbs with more than one syllable Double the last C and add -ed Prefer – preferred
ending CVC (except those ending in -
“x”, -“y”, -“w” or -“h”)
7. Verbs ending in V + -“l” (British Double -“l” and add -ed Travel – travelled
English) Signal - signalled
8. Verbs ending in V + -“c” Add “k” after the -“c” (to retain the /k/ Panic - panicked
sound)
COMPARATIVE
ADJECTIVES
1. Most short adjectives Add –er Tall – taller

2. Most short adjectives ending in -“e” Add –r Nice – nicer

3. Short adjectives ending in CVC (except Double the last C and add –er Big – bigger
those ending in -“x”, -“y”, -“w” or -“h”)

4. Short adjectives ending in C + -“y” Drop –y and add -ier Dry - drier

5. Two syllable adjectives ending in –ed, - Use more before the adjective Worried – more worried
ing, -ful or -less
6. Two syllable adjectives ending in -“y” Drop –y and add -ier Pretty – prettier Happy - happier

7. Some two syllable adjectives Use more or -er Clever – cleverer/more clever
Quiet, polite, etc.

8. Some three syllable adjectives using the Add –er, -r or -ier Unhappy – unhappier
prefix -un Unpleasant - unpleasanter

9. Most long adjectives Use more Ridiculous – more ridiculous

SUPERLATIVE
ADJECTIVES
1. Most short adjectives Add –est Tall – tallest

2. Most short adjectives ending in -“e” Add –st Nice – nicest

3. Short adjectives ending in CVC (except Double the last C and add –est Big – biggest
those ending in -“x”, -“y”, -“w” or -“h”)

4. Short adjectives ending in C + -“y” Drop –y and add –iest Dry – driest

5. Two syllable adjectives ending in –ed, -ing, Use most before the adjective Worried – more worried
-ful or -less

6. Two syllable adjectives ending in -“y” Drop –y and add –iest Pretty – prettiest
Happy – happiest
7. Some two syllable adjectives Use most or –est Clever – cleverest/most clever
Quiet, polite, etc.

8. Some three syllable adjectives using the Add –est, -st or –iest Unhappy – unhappiest
prefix -un Unpleasant – unpleasantest

9. Most long adjectives Use most Ridiculous – most ridiculous

ADVERBS
1. Most adjectives Add -ly Cheap –cheaply

2. Adjectives ending in -e Add -ly Polite – politely

3. Adjectives ending in -le Drop –le and add -ly Simple – simply

4. Adjectives ending in C + -y Drop –y and add -ily Easy - easily

POSSESSIVE ‘S
1. Singular nouns Add ‘s Dog – dog’s

2. Singular proper nouns ending in -s Add ‘s or ‘ Mr James – Mr James’s or Mr James’

3. Regular plural nouns Add ‘ Boys – boys’

4. Irregular plural nouns Add ‘s Men – men’s

5. One, somebody, everybody, each other, etc. Add ‘s One – one’s

OTHER SPELLING
PATTERNS
«ie» Friend – belief

Always write “i” before “e”, unless it comes after “c”, Receipt - receive – ceiling – deceive – perceive

Or if it says “A” as in “neighbor” and “weigh” Neighbor – weight – freight - veil – reign – eight – vein

Exceptions “ei” Weird

Exceptions “ie” Ancient

In a one-syllable word containing a short vowel sound, double the final f, l, s, and miss, staff, buzz Exceptions: bus, gas
z after the vowel. (ff ll ss zz)
Using ck to spell the (k) sound after a short vowel sound at the end of a one- Back - bank
syllable word and also in some two-syllable words. (ck or k)
If the (k) sound follows immediately after the vowel, then use ck.
If the (k) sound follows a consonant, then use k.

Use tch to spell the (ch) sound after a short vowel sound at the end of a one- Bench - Fetch
syllable word and also in some two-syllable words. (tch or ch)
If the (ch) sound follows immediately after the vowel, then use tch.
If the (ch) sound follows a consonant, then use ch.

Use dge to spell the (j) sound after a short vowel sound on the end of a one- Badge – Lodge Plunge – Tinge
syllable word and also in some two-syllable words. (dge or ge)
If the (j) sound follows immediately after the short vowel, then use dge.
If the (j) sound follows a consonant, then use ge

If the short vowel sound is alone, double the letter. Bubble – huddle – battle
If the short vowel sound is followed by a consonant, then use a single letter. Handle – candle
If the root ends in vowel letter and suffix begins with a vowel letter, drop the combine + ation = combination
final vowel letter of the root before adding the suffix. fame + ous = famous
Words ending in ce or ge usually keep the e before a suffix beginning with a or o Change changeable
in order to retain the soft sound of the c or g advantage advantageous