ABSTRACT
If you ask English-speaking people about rules of spelling, they typically start reciting ‘i before e except after c’ — the rule of thumb that ‘explains’ the <ie> of ‘field’ as opposed to the <ei> of ‘receive’, explored in Task 1 below. Ask them for more rules and at best they offer vague memories from primary school about silent <e> or about words ending in <y>. Yet they can spell the vast majority of words they need. True there are problem words such as ‘accommodate’, ‘ecstasy’ or ‘desiccate’, true some individuals have persistent spelling problems, but by and large most people can spell with a high degree of proficiency. The I before E rule
‘i before e except after c’
Which of these words fit the rule and which don’t?
weight, deceive, sleigh, ceiling, either, leisure, species, caffeine
In what ways could the rule be improved by specifying it more precisely?
Suggestions are at the end of the chapter