Lunch & Learn

English Spelling Rules

What English spelling rules do you know?

Question

Here are some

common English

spelling rules …

1. If a noun ends with a

consonant followed by a “y”

Change the “y” to “i” and add “es” in the plural form.

Let’s see this rule in action!

baby = babies

country = countries

sky = skies

enemy = enemies

2. We add “es” to some nouns in the plural form.

Nouns that end in

“s”

“ss”

“ch”

“sh”

“x”

take the “es” in the plural.

Let’s see this rule in action!

Watch= watches

Business= businesses

Bush= bushes

Bus= buses

Fox= foxes

3. For words that end in a

silent “e”, we drop the “e”

when adding a vowel suffix.

Let’s see this rule in action!

Prune= pruning

Close= closing

Adore= adorable

Excite= excitable

There is an exception to the rule!

We keep the “e” if the word ends in “ce” or “ge”.

For example

Courage= courageous

Notice= noticeable

4. When we add suffixes to

words that end in “y”, we change the “y” to “i”.

Let’s see this rule in action!

angry= angrier

happy = happily

apply= applies

beauty= beautiful

There is an exception!

If the suffix begins with an “i”, the “y” remains.

For example:

defy= defying

pry= prying

apply= appying

5. Most words that end in

“f” drop the “f” and add “ves” in the plural.

Let’s see this rule in action!

One calf= 100 calves

A loaf of bread= 5 loaves of bread

A shelf= 7 shelves

Now for the exception …

Some words can end in “s” or “ves”.

For example:

Scarfs or scarves

Dwarfs or dwarves

Questions?

Yuliana@ ybagan@myenglishonline.ca

englishonlinemb10

Blaine

@ broberts@myenglishonline.ca

blaine_myenglishonline

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Thank you for attending!

See you next time!

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