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Englishcrumbs Spelling Rules
Englishcrumbs 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
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
4. Verbs ending in C + -“y” Drop -“y” and add -“ies” Carry – carries
7. Verbs ending in C+V+ -“z” (Limited Double -“z” and add -“es” Quiz – quizzes
cases)
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
3. Verbs ending in C + -“y” Drop -“y” and add -ied Carry – carried
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
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
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
3. Adjectives ending in -le Drop –le and add -ly Simple – simply
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
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