Except that is not the rule. The only word here that disobeys the rule I was taught is "Keith". Do names have to obey spelling conventions?
I was taught, "When the sound is E, it's i before e, except after c". The only word here where the sound is E is "receives", and the c in front negates the "i before e". If Keith was spelt Ceith even it would obey the rule!
Inconceivable! I perceive some ageism here, so at your leisure consider this: You bunch of Einstein’s (science!) are all deficient because none of these rules are sufficient.
I before e, except after c
Or when sounded as 'a' as in 'neighbor' and 'weigh'
Unless the 'c' is part of a 'sh' sound as in 'glacier'
Or it appears in comparatives and superlatives like 'fancier'
And also except when the vowels are sounded as 'e' as in 'seize'
Or 'i' as in 'height'
Or also in '-ing' inflections ending in '-e' as in 'cueing'
Or in compound words as in 'albeit'
Or occasionally in technical words with strong etymological links to their parent languages as in ‘cuneiform'
Or in other numerous and random exceptions such as 'science', 'forfeit', and 'weird'.
7 comments:
So much for rules!
Ha, ha! Yes!
Except that is not the rule. The only word here that disobeys the rule I was taught is "Keith". Do names have to obey spelling conventions?
I was taught, "When the sound is E, it's i before e, except after c". The only word here where the sound is E is "receives", and the c in front negates the "i before e". If Keith was spelt Ceith even it would obey the rule!
Just sayin', Vireya —
"Caffeine" — which it the root word of 'caffeinated' — contains the 'E' sound...
-"BB"-
Vireya, I have never heard the rule stated like that! It makes much more sense with the first line. I've always heard,
I before E
except after C
and when it sounds like A
as in neighbor and weigh.
Inconceivable! I perceive some ageism
here, so at your leisure consider this:
You bunch of Einstein’s (science!) are
all deficient because none of these
rules are sufficient.
I before e, except after c
Or when sounded as 'a' as in 'neighbor'
and 'weigh'
Unless the 'c' is part of a 'sh' sound as
in 'glacier'
Or it appears in comparatives and
superlatives like 'fancier'
And also except when the vowels are
sounded as 'e' as in 'seize'
Or 'i' as in 'height'
Or also in '-ing' inflections ending in
'-e' as in 'cueing'
Or in compound words as in 'albeit'
Or occasionally in technical words with
strong etymological links to their parent
languages as in ‘cuneiform'
Or in other numerous and random exceptions
such as 'science', 'forfeit', and 'weird'.
English is easy said no one ever.
It's I before E,
Except when it isn't.
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