#23: “I” Before “E”…
Here’s a major throwback to elementary school. We all learned the nifty rhyme, “I before E, except after C,” as a way to remember this spelling rule. As with most English language “rules,” there are exceptions. A lot of them. There are so many, in fact, that this whole “I before E” thing isn’t even a rule.
There are so many words that break “I before E except after C” that there’s no point in referencing the rhyme if you need help with your spelling. You probably noticed this yourself as you got older and learned to spell more words. “Weird,” “caffeine,” and “protein” are just a few examples of words that prove this rule wrong. English is a wild language.