-I Before -E, Except After -C—Spelling Rules

When the letters -i and -e are combined together, they are sometimes spelled -ie and other times -ei.

The general guideline is to spell it:

1. -i before -e (-ie) in most words

2. except after the letter -c, where the -e is before -i (-ei)

Note that this general guideline applies to many words, but does not apply to all words that combine -e and -i.