Introduction

Dear Reader,

At one time or another, we’re all bothered by balky vowel movements. Indeed, some of us are plagued by them. Ah, but you’re a resourceful person, so you try to cure these distressing issues with a, e, i, o, u (and sometimes y) on your own.

First, you always run a computerized spell-check on every document you write. That’s a great idea. After all, it’s a perfectly logical place to start. And you do cure the most obvious problems, such as switched or missing letters. Nonetheless, you still are tripped up by easily confused word pairs and word triples such as their/they’re/there. And you can’t always run a computerized spell-check because you’re often called on to write something the old-fashioned way—with a pen or pencil. That’s a real problem.

So what can you do next? Maybe you learn some spelling rules. Brilliant! Now you’re able to catch even more mistakes, but—the rules don’t always work. For instance, perhaps you recite your new mantra “I before e except after c” every time you write a word with the “ie” or “ei” pattern. That’s all well and good until you encounter some exceptions, such as leisure, weird, and seize. Aarrgg. By now, you’re getting a little frustrated. Perhaps you mutter in your discomfort, “What am I doing wrong that causes me to have so much trouble with spelling?”

It’s not your fault; really it’s not. It’s English. Our glorious language is rich and vibrant and all that stuff, but it’s also riddled with words that are challenging to spell. “I” Before “E” Except After “C” can’t regularize English spelling—no one can do that—but it can provide you with an easy and effective way to become a better speller. And you’ll have a great time learning.

In chapter 1, I explain why spelling matters and how poor spelling can hold you back on the job and in your personal life. In chapter 2, you’ll learn how English got so screwed up: you’ll discover that you can blame a lot of it on the Great Vowel Shift rather than your seventh-grade teacher, Mr. Jerk. Chapter 3 covers why people misspell words; chapter 4, how to learn to spell. In chapters 5 through 8, I’ll take you gently step-by-step through phonics, the real word for vowel movements. Chapter 9 focuses on adding letters before and after root words, while chapter 10 explores spelling rules (only the ones that work, of course). Chapter 11 zeroes in on spelling contractions and plurals. In chapter 12 you get the pot of gold, heaps of spelling demons.

So take my hand and let me lead you to the land of cooperative vowel movements. It’s a place of leafy green trees, unending happy hours, and good spelling.