Some Essential Spelling Rules

Diphthong: Where two adjacent vowels are pronounced together in a single sound.  For example EA in ‘peach’ or EI in ‘receipt’ EE in ‘seek’ or IE in ‘Field’ or OO in ‘Cook’ 

Digraph: Two adjacent vowels making a single sound as you know is a Diphthong as stated above but Digraph has a wider meaning.  Any two letter be it two consonant or one consonant and a vowel pronounced unitedly to produce a single sound is known as Digraph.  So all Diphthongs are Digraphs but not vice versa.

Let’s know about some well known Diphthong and Digraph.

IE or EI: There are seven different sounds or this combination.

·        The (ee) sound as in Greek.

·        (Ay) sound as in Bay.

·        (Eye) sound as in Ice.

·        ( I ) As in Fit.

·        (Eh) sound as in Best.

·        (Uh) sound in Hunt.

·        (Oo) sound in Shoe.

(I)               EE sound:

The famous “I” before “E” except after “C” rule applies particularly to this “EE” sound as in Creek or Beak.

Achieve, Diesel, Hygiene, Reprieve, Chief, Belief, Field, Niece, Shriek

The C  rule.

Ceiling, Conceive, Deceive, Receive, Conceit, Deceit, Perceive, Receipt.

Mark here it is not “IE” rather “Ei” as There is the letter C before the sound.

Exception despite the absence of C.

Either, Protein, Sheik, Weird, Neither, Seize, Sheila, Plebeian, Seizure, Weir,

(II)           AY sound:

For this sound, the same as the (ay) in Hay or Way, the spelling invariably Ei, not Ie.

Beige, Feint, Neighbor (Us), Veil, Deign, Freight, Heir, Rain, Weigh, Feign, Inveigh, Weight

(III)        I sound:

For this short I sound as in hit, fit or bit, the spelling is usually Ei rather than IE.

Counterfeit, Forfeit, Sovereign, Surfeit, Foreign, Forfeiture.

Exception: Handkerchief, Series, Sieve, Mischief

(IV)        EYE sound:

This is nothing but Long I sound as in Nice, Vice or Kite. The more common spelling is Ei.

Eiderdown, Either, Height, Sleight, Fahrenheit, Neither,

Exception: Died, Hierarchy, Lied, Tied.

(V)           EH sound:

For this sound as in Rest or Best or Left the usual rule is Ie. But Ei is also possible as in Leisure,

(VI)        UH sound:

For this sound as in Hunt or Shunt the spelling rule is IE.

Ancient, Conscience, Patience, Patient, Proficient.

(VII)    OO or YEW sound:

For this sound Ie rule is followed.

Lieu, Lieutenant, Review, View, Skew.

Friends and followers this much for today. Next time I will be discussing more such rules about spelling.  Wait for the next lesson. Till then bye.  

Thanks