Words with ie and ei
1. Write ie when the sound is long e, except after c.
The long e sound is what you hear in words such as need, grief, and leaf.
- i before e
achieve, piece, siege, thief - ei after c
ceiling, conceive, deceit, receipt
Some exceptions to the rule include the following words: either, neither, leisure, protein.
2. Write ei when the sound is not long e, especially when the sound is long a.
The long a sound is what you hear in words such as gate, braid, sleigh, and bay.
- ei pronounced ay
freight, neighbor, rein, weigh
Some exceptions to the rule include the following words: ancient, patience, mischief, friend.
TIP
The old rhyme “i before e, except after c or when sounded as ay, as in neighbor and weigh” may help you remember these spelling rules. However, there are several exceptions to the rule, so be sure to use a dictionary if you are uncertain about a word’s spelling.