I before E except after C

I before E except after C is a spelling rule used in English. This rule of thumb is not always applicable. However, if we interpret it correctly it can be useful.

If the pronunciation of a vowel is stressed /iː/ and you are not sure if you should spell it ⟨ie⟩ or ⟨ei⟩, then go for ⟨ie⟩, except in /siː/ which is ⟨cei⟩.

A shorter form is

I before E except after C if the vowel-sound rhymes with bee.

Examples

You are not sure if it’s “chief" or “cheif.” The rule helps you to spell “chief.”

You are not sure if /siːlɪŋ/ is “seiling,” “sieling,” “ceiling,” or “cieling.” The rule tells you it’s “ceiling.”

You are not sure if /ˈsiːʒər/ is “seizure,” “siezure,” “ceizure" or “ciezure.” The rule misleads you into thinking it’s *"ceizure", or maybe *"siezure".

Common words

• achieve, belief, believe, brief, chief, field, grief, niece, piece, relief, shield, skied, thief, yield

• After C: ceiling, conceive, deceit, deceive, perceive, receipt, receive

Unstressed /iː/

The rule doesn’t hold

• caffeine, protein, species

Unstressed /iː/ or /ɪ/

The rule doesn’t hold

• Plurals: agencies, currencies, democracies, fancies, frequencies, policies
• Verbal forms: fancied, fancies

The rule holds (even if it doesn’t apply)

• Plurals: babies, cities, companies, countries, families, stories, parties
• Verb forms: carries, copies, marries, studies, worries

Exceptions

• either - leisure^AmE - neither - seizure