Spelling rule for words ending in -el or -le

[El_Zagna]

This one always seems to trip me up. On the one hand we have table, axle, angle, knuckle, noodle, etc and on the other we have *angel, bagel, gravel, *etc. Is there a rule behind all this?

[bordelond]

Not really.

[Zagadka]

English sucks.

[bordelond]

Well-published British linguist Larry Trask chimes in:

**I’m afraid there is no reliable rule for choosing between <-el> and
<-le> in English spelling. In most cases, the choice is determined
by the history of the word, but we don’t normally know the history.

However, the spelling <-le> is by far the more frequent: tickle', cuticle’, battle', axle’, bottle', tackle’, `puzzle’, and so on.

All I can suggest is that you compile a list of the much smaller
group of words with <-el> and memorize them. Among these are
angel', bushel’, mussel', and parcel’. If you’re lucky, you may
be able to find a textbook of spelling which gives you a complete
list of these; otherwise,you’ll just have to note them as you
encounter them.

I’m afraid English spelling isn’t much fun.
**

[El_Zagna]

Thanks, bordle.