What about “ancient”?
Looks like a few people forgot what the thread was about.
Was it read the OP tricks your teachers taught you?
“2 As, 2 Es” is the only thing that stuck in my head to remember how to spell “separate”.
Wednesday
Wed (like wedding) nes -day
As kids we tended to leave out the d. Teacher told us to sound it out like wedding day.
Have to ask my teacher about that one! It’s been a long time.
Though not exactly on topic: My Very Extravagant Mother Just Sent Us Nine Pence.
neighbor and weigh also go against the i before e rule.
I remember wedding day! We did that too.
Also surfeit, counterfeit, ceiling, and probably others.
I just found out (from QI) that if we take the rule as “when there’s a c, it goes ei and when there’s not a c, it goes ie,” then there are more exceptions to the rule than cases that follow it. Stephen Fry said that they no longer teach this in schools since discovering this.
However, I’d need to see a list of the words, because it may be that the simpler words do conform to the “rule” more often and thus it is still useful for children. I believe the list they were talking about includes the “neighbor and weigh” sounding words as well.
There’s a wiki article on it.
**Since **I **rely **on your goodwill, I sign -
Sincerely
When you assume, you make an ASS out of U and ME
Who are the toys? The toys are us!
Embarrassed – Two robbers from Sing Sing are embarrassed
A dessert has two scoops of ice cream
All I remember
Our spelling books still have the ‘i before e’ thing, which is silly because of all the exceptions, so I play them Brian Regan’s take on it –
I before E except after C
And in words that say “ay” like neighbor and weigh
And on weekends and holidays and all throughout May
And you’ll ALWAYS be wrong, no matter what you say!’
They can all repeat that, now.
A cess pool is necessary.
It’s always means it is or it has.
Need help for “personnel”
I’m definitely using that one!