One of the most useful mnemonic devices in my life is the "I Before E" rule. I often have trouble with transposed letters, and sometimes neither "ei" nor "ie" looks right in a word. Yesterday I had particular trouble writing an article because it had a few "ei" words in it (Schweitzer, weird) that don't fit the rule.
Therefore, the rule must be modified if it's going to continue to be useful to me.
"I" Before "E" Is Weird
"I" before "E",
Except after "C"
And words with long "A"
Such as "neighbor" and "weigh"
Unless a word is just spelled weird.
c. J. Golden
Wikipedia has a helpful article on exceptions to the "I Before E" rule.
*note to self: write a book called "Janie Mnemonic" or "Dick & Janie Mnemonic Learn To Write"
** also write one called "More Grammar Than You Can Shake Your Fist At"
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Comments: 16
Here I am!
10 points!
AND
I spell everything wrong (I love my Google toolbar ABC Check!)
I was thinking that rule needed modified a few months back! I occasionally forget how to spell words, especially "weird." I can remember "Wyrd," which I believe is where weird came from, but I don't know why they changed the spelling, really. Wouldn't it be easier with just a Y?!
And yeah, unfortunately, you really have to meet the first need. Ever notice there's a bill for each one of 'em? Mortgage (shelter), electricity/gas (heat), water/sewage, beds, etc? Air is still free, but for how long? (Space Balls, here we come...)
But it explains why neanderthals were "unadvanced."
put your i before your e
unless it's bravely saved by c
it isn't that the i is late
but e likes to pontificate.
;-)