I before E except after C | Examples & Exceptions

I before e except after c is one of English’s most popular mnemonic spelling rules. However, while it applies to certain words, such as “receive,” “deceive,” and “conceit,” it disregards a whole range of others, including “science,” “glacier,” and “neighbor.”

There are more English words that include “ie” rather than “ei” (even after “c”). Thus, strictly adhering to the “i before e except after c” rule may cause more spelling mistakes than not.

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I before e except after c examples

Words that do follow the “i before e except after c” rule by including an “ei” after “c” are a similar group of words that are derived from French (excluding “ceiling,” which has origins more directly linked to Old English).

There are also an extensive number of words (with various origins) that follow the first part of the rule, “i before e.”

I before e except after c exceptions

When it comes to the i before e except after c rule, there are more exceptions than not.

Words that include “cie”

These words do not adhere to the “i before e except after c” rule because their correct spelling includes “cie,” whereas the rule implies that only “ei” appears after “c.”

Words where “ei” is not preceded by “c”

These words do not follow the “i before e except after c” rule because they contain “ei” but not after a “c.” However, the rule incorrectly suggests that “ei” is only found after “c.”

I before e except after c full rhyme

Attempts have been made to revise the “i before e except after c” rule to make it more accurate. Unfortunately, these extended rhymes also have exceptions.

For example, one extended rhyme reads i before e except after c when the sound is ee (as in “free”). However, words like “species,” “financier,” and “policies” contain the long “e” sound, yet their correct spelling includes “cie” and not “cei.”

Another extended rhyme reads i before e except after c or when sounding like A, as in neighbor or weigh. Although many exceptions to the original rhyme correctly adhere to this longer version (e.g., “vein,” “sleigh,” and “neigh”), there are still issues, particularly when a word has various pronunciations. “Heinous,” for example, can be pronounced with a long “a” sound (i.e., “hay-nus”), but in British English, it can also be pronounced with a long “e” sound (i.e., “hee-nuhs”).

Frequently asked questions

Is it beleive or believe?

The correct spelling is “believe.” Although there are many exceptions, “believe” is an example of a word that follows the “i before e except after c rule.”

Is the i before e except after c rule correct?

The “i before e except after c rule” is correct only for a certain group of words, including “receive,” “deceive,” and “conceive.” There are many other words that do not fit into this rule, such as “science,” “ancient,” and “efficient.”