SPELLING RULES 1.  For a single syllable word, ending in a single consonant preceded by a single vowel – double the consonant: swim; swimmer; swimming   rob, robber, robbed, robbing2.  For a single syllable word, ending in a single consonant preceded by two vowels – do NOT double the consonant: meet, meetingpair, paired, pairing3.  For a multiple syllable word, ending in a single consonant preceded by a single vowel, if stress is on last syllable, double the consonant:  prefer, preferred, preferring 4.  For most words, add -s to the singular form to make it plural:  cat, cats; bell, bells; rose, roses5.  If a word ends in vowel + o, usually add -s to form the plural: monkey, monkeys (BUT money, moneys, OR monies). If a word ends in a consonant + o, sometimes add -s: piano, pianos OR sometimes add -es: potato, potatoes OR sometimes add either: zero, zeros, zeroes6.  If a word ends in f or fe, sometimes add -s to make it plural: roof, roofsOR sometimes change f or fe to -ves: half, halves; wife, wives  OR sometimes add either: scarf, scarfs, scarves7.  Add -es to the singular form when it ends in s, ss, ch, sh, x, z, or zz:  bus, buses kiss, kisseschurch, churchesbush, bushesax, axes waltz, waltzesfizz, fizzes8.  Drop the final -e if a suffix* begins with a vowel: desire, desiring, desirable9.  Keep the final -e if a suffix begins with a consonant: care + full = careful complete + ly = completelyexcite + ment = excitement10.  For a word that ends in a consonant + y, change the -y to -i for most suffixes: pony, poniesdeny, deniesdenied11.  If a word ends in -ay, -ey, -oy,  form the plural by simply adding -s: ray, rays valley, valleystoy, toys12.  Sometimes you change -ie to -y before -ing: die, died, dyinglie, lied, lying13.  The sound of “shun” has several different spellings:  solution, occasion, mission, musician, Dalmatian, crucifixion14.  The following prefixes** give negative meaning to the original word: unhappyinvisible

illegalimpoliteirregular*A suffix is a word ending. It changes the part of speech of the word, but does not change the meaning of the original (“root”) word entirely: see, seeing; act, actorbeauty, beautifulequip, equipment** A prefix is a word beginning. It changes the meaning of the original (“root”) word: reviewpreviewforeseecoworkerSingular, Plural of some words alumna, alumnaealumnus, alumnianalysis, analysesauditorium, auditoriumsbacterium, bacteriabox, boxeschild, childrencrisis, crisescrisis, crisesdeer, deer/deersfish, fish/fishesfoot, feetfungo, fungoesgoose, geesehouse, housesman, men    milk, –mother-in-law, mothers-in-lawmouse, mice      ox, oxen–, pants–, peoplephysics, –   –, scissors                    sheep, –sock, socks/soxtooth, teethwoman, women