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Marthe48

(19,258 posts)
Thu Jan 26, 2023, 11:21 AM Jan 2023

About ie and ei

Even at 70, I still have trouble remembering which words are spelled ie and ei. I noticed lately that many of the ie words, are more of individual nouns, such as chief, friend, and niece are more likely to be ie. Words that describe a group, group member, object or action such as neighbor, freight and reign, are more likely to be spelled ei.

This observation is helping me with one little snag in the writing flow

8 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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About ie and ei (Original Post) Marthe48 Jan 2023 OP
"i before e except after c," or... malthaussen Jan 2023 #1
I before E except after C, or sounding like A as in neighbor or weigh. CrispyQ Jan 2023 #2
That seems weird! Dale in Laurel MD Jan 2023 #3
LOL. CrispyQ Jan 2023 #5
This message was self-deleted by its author Effete Snob Jan 2023 #7
actually Timewas Jan 2023 #4
The I before E rule doesn't help me much Marthe48 Jan 2023 #6
I bought my son Keith - the English teacher - MyOwnPeace Jan 2023 #8

malthaussen

(17,752 posts)
1. "i before e except after c," or...
Thu Jan 26, 2023, 11:24 AM
Jan 2023

... you know, except when it feels like it. But the general rule works maybe 70% of the time.

-- Mal

CrispyQ

(38,508 posts)
2. I before E except after C, or sounding like A as in neighbor or weigh.
Thu Jan 26, 2023, 11:42 AM
Jan 2023

But I'm sure there are exceptions to that verse, as well.

Response to CrispyQ (Reply #5)

Timewas

(2,307 posts)
4. actually
Thu Jan 26, 2023, 11:54 AM
Jan 2023

I before e except after c or when sounded like A as in neighbor and weigh... dis-proven by weird science

Marthe48

(19,258 posts)
6. The I before E rule doesn't help me much
Thu Jan 26, 2023, 12:12 PM
Jan 2023

I can remember my 2nd grade teacher using a big flip chart explaining that rule, and then trying to use it.

MyOwnPeace

(17,280 posts)
8. I bought my son Keith - the English teacher -
Thu Jan 26, 2023, 01:35 PM
Jan 2023

a mug to leave on his desk at school. It says:

i before e

except when your foreign
neighbor Keith receives
eight counterfeit beige sleighs
from feisty caffeinated weight
lifters.

WEIRD!





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