Changing 'y' to 'i'

The “y” to “i” rule in English spelling addresses how to change words ending in “y” when adding various suffixes. This rule helps maintain consistent spelling patterns and pronunciation.

Rule#

The rule is to change the final “y” to “i” when:

1. The word ends in a consonant followed by “y”.
2. A suffix is added that does not begin with “i”.

Examples:#

• While forming plurals

  • Baby + es = Babies: “Baby” ends in a consonant (b) followed by “y”, so “y” is changed to “i” and “es” is added.
  • City + es = Cities: “City” ends in a consonant (t) followed by “y”, so “y” is changed to “i” and “es” is added.

• While forming comparatives

  • Happy + er = Happier: “Happy” ends in a consonant (p) followed by “y”, so “y” is changed to “i” before adding “er”.
  • Happy + est = Happiest: “Happy” ends in a consonant (p) followed by “y”, so “y” is changed to “i” before adding “est”.

• While changing verb form

  • Cry + ed = Cried: “Cry” ends in a consonant (r) followed by “y”, so “y” is changed to “i” before adding “ed”.
  • Try + es = Tries: “Try” ends in a consonant (r) followed by “y”, so “y” is changed to “i” before adding “es”.

Suffixes Starting with ‘i’#

When adding a suffix that begins with “i” (such as “-ing”), do not change the “y” to “i”. This helps avoid the awkward “ii” combination.

Examples:#

• Carry + ing = Carrying: The suffix “ing” starts with “i”, so the “y” is not changed to “i”.
• Apply + ing = Applying: The suffix “ing” starts with “i”, so the “y” is not changed to “i”.

Words Ending in Vowel + Y#

When a word ends in a vowel followed by “y”, the “y” is not changed to “i” before adding a suffix.

Examples:#

• Play + ed = Played: “Play” ends in a vowel (a) followed by “y”, so the “y” remains.
• Enjoy + able = Enjoyable: “Enjoy” ends in a vowel (o) followed by “y”, so the “y” remains.

Exception#

Some words have unique forms or exceptions to these rules.

Examples:#

• Fly + ing = Flying: Even though “fly” ends in consonant + “y”, the “y” is not changed because the suffix “ing” starts with “i”.
• Day + ly = Daily: Though “day” ends in a vowel + “y”, the spelling changes for ease of pronunciation.