Drop the 'e' spelling rule

Drop the 'e' rule is a very useful rule but like all rules there are exceptions.

We usually drop the 'e' at the end of words when adding an ending that begins with a vowel: -ing, -ed, -er, -able, -ous, -ible, ious.

write + ing = writing, hope + ed = hoped, excite + able = excitable

Drop the 'e' with -ing: make — making, have — having, write — writing, love — loving, come — coming, use — using

(BUT not with be - being, see - seeing)

Check out the shorty video on the Drop the ‘e’ with -ing.

    
            Word +  
            -ing
            -ed
            -er
            -able
        

            write  
            writing  
            ---
             writer  
              writable
        

            come
            coming
            ---  
             comer
              ---
        

            have
            having
            ---
             ---
              ---
        

            make
            making
            ---
             maker
              makeable
        

            use
            using
            used
             user
              useable/usable
        

            love
            loving
            loved
             lover
              loveable/lovable
        

            change
            changing
            changed
             changer
              changeable
        

            manage
            managing
            managed
             manager
              manageable
        
  

Some words have two possible forms before -able.
like — likeable/likable, move — moveable/movable, love — loveable/lovable (But if this is confusing then just drop the 'e')

But with words ending in 'ge' keep the 'e' before 'able' to keep the soft 'ge' sound: manageable, changeable, knowledgeable

We also keep the 'e' in words ending in 'ce' before 'able' to keep the soft 'c' ( "s") sound: noticeable, replaceable, serviceable

Another exception to the rule is the final -e is not dropped from words ending in: -ee, -oe, -ye: see — seeing, agree — agreeing, canoe — canoeist, dye — dyeing

Common misspelled words:
Drop the 'e' in truly — true + ly = truly
due + ly = duly
whole + ly = wholly
Drop the 'e' in argument - argue + ment = argument

Other vowel suffixes
sense + ible = sensible
opposite + ion = opposition
imagine + ation = imagination
relative + ive = relative
white + est = whitest
behave + iour/ ior = behaviour/behavior (AmE)
race + ist = racist

for and fore are two different prefixes.
for: forward, forbid, forfeit, forbidden
fore (in front/towards): foresee, forehead, foresight, forefinger, foreground

Change -ate to -acy
accurate — accuracy
literate — literacy
adequate — adequacy
immediate — immediacy
delicate — delicacy

Do a spelling test now and check you've understood this rule. There's always a difference between knowing a rule and actually spelling it correctly.

Go on grab a pen and paper and prove you can do it -

Click here to do the spelling test

Click here for more spelling lessons.

Check out the shorty video on the Drop the ‘e’ with -ing.