get confused

[sting]

Hi,
I always get confused in spellings having ie and ei.
e.g. is it recieve or receive.
Is there any specific rule for them that might help me.

[Harry Smith]

Originally Posted by sting

Hi,
I always get confused in spellings having ie and ei.
e.g. is it recieve or receive.
Is there any specific rule for them that might help me.

It is receive. Unfortunately I don't know any rule. I just remember such words.

[Dr. Jamshid Ibrahim]

Originally Posted by Harry Smith

It is receive. Unfortunately I don't know any rule. I just remember such words.

After c ei (receive, deceive) otherwise ie. There is a rule.

Thanks million
that was helpful

[Harry Smith]

Originally Posted by Dr. Jamshid Ibrahim

After c ei (receive, deceive) otherwise ie. There is a rule.

Ok. Thanks! But I think there are not so many words like receive, deceive and perceive. Can you remind them to me?

[albertino]

Disclaimer: I'm not a teacher.
Remember this:

"I" before "E" except after "C"
However, there is a precondition, that is:
　
When “ei” or “ie” is pronounced as long e /i:/， put “i” before “e” except after “c”. For example, put "I" before "E": achieve, thief, siege, belief, niece, chief, piece, field, grief, relief yield, etc. Except after "C": ceiling, receive, deceive, conceive, perceive, deceitful, receipt, etc.

Exceptions: either, neither, seize, etc. Okay?

[sting]

Thanks a billion, that was a great help.

[Buddhaheart]

Sometime ‘ie’ forms the end vowel of the 1st syllable and the beginning of the next in a multi-syllable word as in ‘quiet’, ‘Kiev’ or ‘Dieppe’.

In English, I teach students ‘generalizations’ rather than ‘rules’ as virtually in any of the formulations one can find many exceptions to the norms.

[Barb_D]

The rule I learned in school was "I before E except after C, or when said as "A" as in "neighbor" or "weigh." And then you have to learn exceptions, many of which are listed in this thread.