When the diphthongs ei and ie are pronounced [=e], c is followed by ei, all other letters by ie. Examples: ceiling, receive, siege, believe. Exceptions: leisure, seize, weird. The word slice will help pupils to remember this rule—i after l and e after c when applied to believe and receive.

Final y following a consonant changes to i before a suffix not beginning with i. Examples: busy, business; dry, dried. When the suffix begins with i, as in -ing and -ish, the y is retained to avoid having double i. Examples: try, trying; baby, babyish.

When the final y follows a vowel, the y is retained before a suffix. Examples: toy, toyed; betray, betrayed; annoy, annoyed.

To form the plural of words ending in y following a consonant change the y to i and add es. Examples: quantity, quantities; factory, factories.

When the final y follows a vowel, the y is retained and s added. Examples: journey, journeys; delay, delays; money, moneys.

Monosyllables and words accented on the last syllable, which end in a single consonant, following a single vowel, double the final consonant before a suffix beginning with a vowel. Examples: hot, hotter; begin, beginning. Exceptions: (1) gas, gases. (2) The letters w, x, and y are not doubled. Examples: show, showing; box, boxed; pay, paying.

In words not accented on the last syllable, the final consonant may or may not be doubled. Examples: traveler may be spelled traveller; canceled, cancelled; etc.

In words ending in unaccented e, the final e is dropped before a suffix beginning with a vowel. Examples: come, coming; glue, gluing; fine, finer. Exceptions: (1) The e is retained when it is necessary to preserve the identity of the word, as dyeing, singeing. (2) When the final e is preceded by o, as shoeing, hoeing. (3) After c and g when the suffix begins with a or o, as peace, peaceable; outrage, outrageous; courage, courageous.