Spelling 1

long e sound

Examples: achieve, belief, cashier, chief, fierce, niece, piece, retrieve, series, wield

It can sound like short e, as in friend

It can sound like long i, as in piety, fiery, quiet, notoriety, society, science

The only time the ie combination comes after c is when it sounds like sh, as in ancient, deficient, conscience

long a sound

Examples: deign, eight, feign, freight, heinous, reign, sleigh, surveillance, vein, weight

In some words, ei is used even though it sounds like ee, as in either, seize, weird, sheik, seizure, leisure

Sometimes ei sounds like long i, as in height, sleight, stein, seismology

Sometimes ei sounds like short e, as in heifer, their, foreign, forfeit

After c you use ei, even if it sounds like ee, as in ceiling, deceit, conceited, receive, receipt