1. i before e, except after c or when sounded like “ay,” as in neighbor and weigh.
Exceptions: weird, foreign, height, leisure, protein and either and words with “cien,” including ancient, efficient and science are also exceptions.
2. When two vowels go a’walking, the first one does the talking.
When two vowels are together in a word, the first usually has a long sound and the second is silent. For example, chain (not chian), coat (not caot), wait (not wiat)
3. Silent e helps a vowel say its name.
When a word ends with a vowel, followed by a consonant and then a silent e, the vowel has a long sound. This rule explains the difference in node and nod, rage and rag, hate and hat and cube and cub.
4. Make up your own memory aids for words that consistently trouble you.
For example:
– There is a rat in separate.
– Success could lead to a cess pool.
– I’ll have seconds in desserts. (requires two s’s)