Spelling Rules - Words with ie or ei
On this page are rules for spelling words with ie or ei along with examples of words that have the letters ie or ei. The exceptions, or some of them, are noted.
| Words with ie and ei:
When the sound is e write ie except after c |
Words:
relieve, priest, relief, chieftain, grievous, field, belief, yield, thief, shriek, reprieve, besiege, piece, pierce, cashier, reprieve, brief, sieve, siege, believe Words after c: conceit, ceiling, deceive, perceive, receipt, deceit, conceive, receive |
| When the sound is other than e, usually write ei | Words:
eight, rein, veil, heir, weight, their, sleigh, vein, neigh, skein, neighbor, reign, freight, heifer, weir, weigh, foreign, forfeit |
| Exceptions
There are always exceptions. |
Words:
friend, mischief, seize, sheik, weird, either, neither, financier, leisure, seize, species, ancient, fierce, lieutenant |
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