Spelling Rules
The patterns behind English spelling: i before e except after c (with exceptions), dropping a silent e before vowel suffixes (hope/hoping), changing y to i (carry/carried), and doubling final consonants in stressed syllables (occur/occurred).
The ‘i before e’ rule bends for weird, height, either, and seize, so treat it as a starting point. When unsure on the exam, write the candidate spellings mentally and trust the rule-based form over the one that merely looks familiar.