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English Quiz - Spelling: ie or ei? (Questions)

Let's tackle a KS2 English spelling quiz about words with 'ie' or 'ei'. You may know the rule: 'I before E, except after C'. It helps decide how to spell words, but there's an exception: always use 'ei' for the 'ay' sound (like in 'eight').

These spellings can be tricky with exceptions. Take your time and practice this quiz more than once to get comfy with 'ie' or 'ei' words.

Test your 'ie' and 'ei' spelling skills, but be careful of the exceptions, in this quiz!

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1. Spell the missing words correctly.
The ____ executive opened the new ____ centre.
[ ] chief, leisure
[ ] cheif, leisure
[ ] chief, liesure
[ ] cheif, liesure
2. Spell the missing words correctly.
The horse pulling the ____ began to ____.
[ ] sliegh, niegh
[ ] sleigh, niegh
[ ] sliegh, neigh
[ ] sleigh, neigh
3. Spell the missing words correctly.
Mrs. Harrison's ____ caught the ____.
[ ] niece, theif
[ ] neice, theif
[ ] niece, thief
[ ] neice, thief
4. Spell the missing words correctly.
She could actually see the quick pulse in her ____ after her sprint across the ____.
[ ] veins, field
[ ] viens, field
[ ] veins, feild
[ ] viens, feild
5. Spell the missing words correctly.
The receptionist asked ____ father for his ____.
[ ] thier, receipt
[ ] their, receipt
[ ] thier, reciept
[ ] their, reciept
6. Spell the missing words correctly.
____ you will ____ it or you will not!
[ ] Either, beleive
[ ] Iether, beleive
[ ] Either, believe
[ ] Iether, believe
7. Spell the missing words correctly.
They were ____ to find out that there would be no ____ lecture today.
[ ] releived, hygeine
[ ] relieved, hygeine
[ ] releived, hygiene
[ ] relieved, hygiene
8. Spell the missing words correctly.
The ____ was surprised to ____ an unexpected parcel in the post.
[ ] priest, recieve
[ ] preist, recieve
[ ] priest, receive
[ ] preist, receive
9. Spell the missing words correctly.
He remembered to step carefully in the loft because the ____ could not hold his ____.
[ ] cieling, weight
[ ] ceiling, weight
[ ] cieling, wieght
[ ] ceiling, wieght
10. Spell the missing words correctly.
His mum couldn't ____ it was his ____ birthday.
[ ] believe, eighteenth
[ ] beleive, eighteenth
[ ] believe, ieghteenth
[ ] beleive, ieghteenth

You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - Spelling

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English Quiz - Spelling: ie or ei? (Answers)
1. Spell the missing words correctly.
The ____ executive opened the new ____ centre.
[x] chief, leisure
[ ] cheif, leisure
[ ] chief, liesure
[ ] cheif, liesure
Remember: i before e (chief); 'leisure' is an exception.
2. Spell the missing words correctly.
The horse pulling the ____ began to ____.
[ ] sliegh, niegh
[ ] sleigh, niegh
[ ] sliegh, neigh
[x] sleigh, neigh
Remember: 'ay' sounds need e before i (sleigh and neigh).
3. Spell the missing words correctly.
Mrs. Harrison's ____ caught the ____.
[ ] niece, theif
[ ] neice, theif
[x] niece, thief
[ ] neice, thief
These two words follow the rule.
4. Spell the missing words correctly.
She could actually see the quick pulse in her ____ after her sprint across the ____.
[x] veins, field
[ ] viens, field
[ ] veins, feild
[ ] viens, feild
Veins has the 'ay' sound.
5. Spell the missing words correctly.
The receptionist asked ____ father for his ____.
[ ] thier, receipt
[x] their, receipt
[ ] thier, reciept
[ ] their, reciept
Remember: i before e, except after c (receipt); 'their' follows the 'ay' rule.
6. Spell the missing words correctly.
____ you will ____ it or you will not!
[ ] Either, beleive
[ ] Iether, beleive
[x] Either, believe
[ ] Iether, believe
'Either' is an exception, as is 'neither'.
7. Spell the missing words correctly.
They were ____ to find out that there would be no ____ lecture today.
[ ] releived, hygeine
[ ] relieved, hygeine
[ ] releived, hygiene
[x] relieved, hygiene
'Relieved' and 'hygiene' both follow the i before e rule.
8. Spell the missing words correctly.
The ____ was surprised to ____ an unexpected parcel in the post.
[ ] priest, recieve
[ ] preist, recieve
[x] priest, receive
[ ] preist, receive
Remember: i before e (priest), except after c (receive).
9. Spell the missing words correctly.
He remembered to step carefully in the loft because the ____ could not hold his ____.
[ ] cieling, weight
[x] ceiling, weight
[ ] cieling, wieght
[ ] ceiling, wieght
Weight follows the 'ay' rule.
10. Spell the missing words correctly.
His mum couldn't ____ it was his ____ birthday.
[x] believe, eighteenth
[ ] beleive, eighteenth
[ ] believe, ieghteenth
[ ] beleive, ieghteenth
Eighteenth has the 'ay' sound.