Spelling list: ie and ei words: rulebreakers

Have you ever noticed some ie and ei words don’t follow the i before e except after c rule? English can be tricky this way, with some words breaking the rule entirely. This list includes examples like ancient, efficient, and weird, all of which don’t follow the usual pattern but are still common words in everyday use.

Learning rulebreakers is an important for improving your spelling. Why not try a spelling game to help you study? It’s a fun way to test your skills and reinforce your memory of these tricky words.

ancient	Greece has many ancient ruins.
efficient	He was an efficient worker.
sufficient	Do you have sufficient money for a bus ride home? *
conscience	My conscience is completely clear.
protein	A balanced diet should contain protein.
seize	Did you see him seize my purse?
weird	I heard a very weird noise in the night.
foreign	We love foreign travel.
sovereign	A reigning king or queen is a sovereign.
forfeit	He will forfeit his chance of promotion.
counterfeit	They found counterfeit money at his home.
height	He was at the height of his popularity. *
either	You can have either of these two cakes.
neither	Neither of my friends could come out to play. *
leisure	I enjoy a balance of work and leisure time.
science	David hopes to excel in his science exam.