Key Spelling Rules – KLEE General English Test 3
Covers: i before e · Doubling the final consonant · British "l" rule · Silent "e" · Final "y" · -able / -ible · -ance / -ence · -cede / -ceed / -sede · -ise / -ize
Directions: Apply the spelling rules and choose the correct answer.
Click an option to check your answer, or click View Answer for the answer and explanation.
According to the "i before e" rule, which word is correctly spelled?
- A. Beleive
- B. Beleave
- C. Believe
- D. Belive
Answer: Option C
Explanation:
i before e (ee sound) when not after c: believe.
Which word follows the "e before i after c" pattern?
- A. Ceeling
- B. Ceiling
- C. Celing
- D. Cieling
Answer: Option B
Explanation:
After c, the order is "ei": ceiling.
Which of these is an exception to the "i before e" rule?
- A. Leisure
- B. Believe
- C. Field
- D. Relieve
Answer: Option A
Explanation:
Leisure has "ei" although no c comes before it.
Which word is spelled correctly?
- A. Conceet
- B. Consiet
- C. Conciet
- D. Conceit
Answer: Option D
Explanation:
After c: "ei" → conceit.
Which word is spelled correctly?
- A. Nieghter
- B. Neihter
- C. Neither
- D. Niether
Answer: Option C
Explanation:
Neither is an exception: "ei" without c.
Which word is spelled correctly?
- A. Proteine
- B. Protein
- C. Protean
- D. Protien
Answer: Option B
Explanation:
Protein is a listed exception: "ei".
The word "begin" + "-ing" becomes
- A. Beginning
- B. Beginnig
- C. Begining
- D. Beggining
Answer: Option A
Explanation:
Begin is stressed on the last syllable, so the n is doubled.
The word "refer" + "-ed" becomes
- A. Referd
- B. Reffered
- C. Refered
- D. Referred
Answer: Option D
Explanation:
Stress on the last syllable (re-FER) → double r.
The word "commit" + "-ed" becomes
- A. Commited
- B. Commmitted
- C. Committed
- D. Comitted
Answer: Option C
Explanation:
Stress on the last syllable → double t.
The word "benefit" + "-ed" becomes
- A. Beneffited
- B. Benefited
- C. Benefitted
- D. Benifited
Answer: Option B
Explanation:
Stress is not on the last syllable, so the t is not doubled.
The word "visit" + "-ed" becomes
- A. Visited
- B. Visitted
- C. Vissited
- D. Visted
Answer: Option A
Explanation:
VIS-it is stressed on the first syllable, so no doubling.
The word "stop" + "-ed" becomes
- A. Stoppd
- B. Stoped
- C. Stopt
- D. Stopped
Answer: Option D
Explanation:
One-syllable word ending in vowel + consonant → double the consonant.
In British English, "travel" + "-ed" is written
- A. Traveled
- B. Travelld
- C. Travelled
- D. Travvelled
Answer: Option C
Explanation:
British English doubles the final l: travelled.
In British English, "counsel" + "-or" is written
- A. Counsilor
- B. Counselor
- C. Councellor
- D. Counsellor
Answer: Option D
Explanation:
British "l" rule: counsellor.
"Hope" + "-ing" becomes
- A. Hopeing
- B. Hoping
- C. Hopping
- D. Hopinge
Answer: Option B
Explanation:
Drop the silent e before a vowel suffix: hoping.
"Argue" + "-ment" becomes
- A. Argument
- B. Arguemant
- C. Argumant
- D. Arguement
Answer: Option A
Explanation:
Argument is an exception: the e is dropped.
"Manage" + "-ment" becomes
- A. Managment
- B. Mannagement
- C. Management
- D. Managemant
Answer: Option C
Explanation:
Keep the e before a consonant suffix: management.
"Courage" + "-ous" becomes
- A. Couragious
- B. Courageous
- C. Couragous
- D. Corageous
Answer: Option B
Explanation:
Keep the e after soft g before -ous.
"Change" + "-able" becomes
- A. Changeable
- B. Changable
- C. Chanjeable
- D. Changeible
Answer: Option A
Explanation:
Keep the e after soft g before -able.
"Happy" + "-ness" becomes
- A. Hapiness
- B. Happines
- C. Happyness
- D. Happiness
Answer: Option D
Explanation:
Consonant + y → change y to i.
"Carry" + "-ing" becomes
- A. Carrying
- B. Carying
- C. Carriyng
- D. Carriing
Answer: Option A
Explanation:
The y is kept before -ing: carrying.
"Enjoy" + "-ment" becomes
- A. Enjoymant
- B. Enjoyement
- C. Enjoiment
- D. Enjoyment
Answer: Option D
Explanation:
Vowel + y → keep y.
"Day" + "-ly" becomes
- A. Dayly
- B. Daly
- C. Daily
- D. Dailly
Answer: Option C
Explanation:
Day → daily is a listed exception.
"Pay" in the past tense is
- A. Payd
- B. Paid
- C. Paied
- D. Payed
Answer: Option B
Explanation:
Pay → paid is an exception.
Which word correctly takes "-ible" because its root is not a full word?
- A. Readable
- B. Visible
- C. Dependable
- D. Acceptable
Answer: Option B
Explanation:
-ible usually follows a root that is not a word by itself (vis-).
Which word correctly takes "-able" because it follows a complete word?
- A. Audible
- B. Legible
- C. Credible
- D. Acceptable
Answer: Option D
Explanation:
Accept is a complete word, so -able.
Which is the ONLY common word ending in "-sede"?
- A. Recede
- B. Precede
- C. Supersede
- D. Concede
Answer: Option C
Explanation:
Only supersede ends in -sede.
Which of these ends in "-ceed"?
- A. Exceed
- B. Concede
- C. Secede
- D. Precede
Answer: Option A
Explanation:
Three words end in -ceed: exceed, proceed, succeed.
Which group correctly lists the three "-ceed" words?
- A. Exceed, proceed, succeed
- B. Proceed, secede, intercede
- C. Precede, recede, concede
- D. Exceed, precede, succeed
Answer: Option A
Explanation:
Only exceed, proceed and succeed end in -ceed.
Which word must always be spelled with "-ise", even in American English?
- A. Realise
- B. Recognise
- C. Advertise
- D. Organise
Answer: Option C
Explanation:
Advertise is one of the words that take only -ise.
Which of these words takes only "-ise"?
- A. Apologize
- B. Supervise
- C. Criticize
- D. Organize
Answer: Option B
Explanation:
Supervise is listed as an -ise-only word.
Which word ends correctly in "-ance"?
- A. Existance
- B. Independance
- C. Occurance
- D. Relevance
Answer: Option D
Explanation:
-ance/-ence must be learnt: relevance.
Which word ends correctly in "-ence"?
- A. Attendence
- B. Significence
- C. Maintenence
- D. Correspondence
Answer: Option D
Explanation:
Correspondence ends in -ence.
Which word is correctly spelled?
- A. Intersede
- B. Intercede
- C. Intercead
- D. Interceed
Answer: Option B
Explanation:
All words other than supersede/exceed/proceed/succeed end in -cede.