Have you ever caught yourself following the “I before E” rule, only to realize you’re wrong? It can frustrate the best of us. Let’s take a little trip through history to find out more about where this supposed rule came from, and learn about how and when we can ignore it.
The “I before E, except after C” rule is a mnemonic device taught to English learners to help them remember the general order of the letters “i” and “e” in words. The origins of this rule can be traced back to the early days of English grammar instruction in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The rule states that when the letters “i” and “e” are adjacent in a word, “i” should usually come before “e,” except when they follow the letter “c.” In that case, “e” should come before “i.” This rule applies mainly to words where the “ie” or “ei” combination produces the long “ee” sound, as in the words “believe” or “receipt.”
However, the rule doesn’t always hold true because English is a complex language with influences from many other languages, such as Latin, French, and German. As a result, there are several exceptions to the “I before E, except after C” rule, which include:
- Words in which the “ie” or “ei” combination produces a different sound, such as the “ay” sound in “weigh” or the short “i” sound in “efficient.”
- Foreign loanwords that have not been fully assimilated into English, such as “gneiss” or “deity.”
- Proper nouns, like “Weinstein” or “Einstein.”
Here is a list of common words where the rule is not followed:
- Weird
- Seize
- Neither
- Either
- Protein
- Sovereign
- Foreign
- Leisure
- Height
- Weight
- Counterfeit
- Surfeit
It’s important to remember that the “I before E, except after C” rule is a general guideline, not an absolute rule. As with many aspects of the English language, there are exceptions that learners must become familiar with through exposure and practice.
