Spelling rule

Adding endings: drop the e, change the y

Endings such as -ing, -ed, -ness, -ment and -ful change how some words are spelt. Two rules cover most of them.

How it works

1
Drop a final e before an ending that starts with a vowel
- hope → hoping
- fame → famous
- determine → determined
- believe → believing
2
Keep the e before an ending that starts with a consonant
- sincere → sincerely
- immediate → immediately
- achieve → achievement
- definite → definitely
- care → careful
3
A consonant then y: change the y to i (but not before -ing)
- busy → business
- happy → happiness
- vary → various
- carry → carried, carrying
4
A vowel then y: keep the y
- play → played
- enjoy → enjoyment
- employ → employer
5
Most words just add -ment or -ness
- govern → government
- equip → equipment
- environ → environment
- kind → kindness

argument and truly drop their e although the ending starts with a consonant: learn these two by heart.
say → said and pay → paid break the 'keep the y' rule.

There's a bus in business: busy + ness, with the y turned into an i.

The daily spelling workout brings back the words your child finds tricky, and shows you which rules they need to revisit.