Is it "receive" or "recieve"?

It's "receive" with EI after C, not "recieve" with IE. The correct English spelling is always "receive" following the "I before E, except after C" rule. Since there's a C right before the vowel pair, you use EI not IE. Remember: "The CEO will reCEIve the report" - the letters C-E-I appear in that exact order.

Why is receive spelled with EI instead of IE?

Receive is spelled with EI because it follows the "I before E except after C" rule. Since receive has the letter C right before the vowel pair, it uses EI instead of IE. This pattern appears in many words like ceiling, deceive, perceive, and conceive. The rule helps you remember that when you hear the long "ee" sound after the letter C, you write EI not IE.

What's the trick to remember receive spelling?

Use the spelling trick "The CEO will reCEIve the report." This reminds you that the letters C-E-I appear in that exact order in both CEO and receive. The capitalization of CEO makes the C-E-I pattern stand out visually. Other memory tricks include: Never believe a lie: Helps you remember believe uses IE (no C) You receive a receipt: Both words use EI after C C-E-I-ling over my head: Another example of EI after C

What are common misspellings of receive?

The most common misspelling is "recieve" with IE instead of EI, accounting for the majority of errors. People spell it "recieve" because they remember "I before E" as a general rule but forget the "except after C" part. Other variants include "recive" (missing E entirely) and "recieve" (doubling the E). All of these are incorrect - the only correct spelling is "receive" with C-E-I.

What is the "I before E except after C" rule?

The "I before E except after C" rule states that you write I before E, except after C, or when sounding like "ay" as in neighbor and weigh. This is one of the most famous spelling rules in English. I before E: believe, field, piece, niece Except after C: receive, ceiling, deceive, perceive When sounding like "ay": neighbor, weigh, vein, reign While there are exceptions like weird and seize, this rule works for the vast majority of common words and is especially reliable for words with the long "ee" sound.

What other words follow the same EI after C pattern?

Common words like deceive, perceive, conceive, ceiling, receipt, and conceit all follow the EI after C pattern. Many words use this pattern: deceive: To trick or mislead someone perceive: To become aware of through the senses conceive: To form an idea or become pregnant ceiling: The upper interior surface of a room receipt: A written acknowledgment of payment conceit: Excessive pride in oneself Once you master receive, you'll find these related words much easier to spell correctly.

Receive or Recieve?
Which Spelling is Correct?

Thousands of people misspell "receive" as "recieve" every day. Learn the correct spelling with an unforgettable mnemonic device that makes the i-before-e rule crystal clear.

receive

Common Misspellings:

recieve

The Perfect Mnemonic

This simple visual trick will help you remember the correct spelling forever. The CEO contains the exact letters you need:

Mnemonic for spelling receive: The CEO will reCEIve the report

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How the Spelling Trick Works

The phrase "The CEO will reCEIve the report" is brilliant because:

CEO contains C-E-I in the exact order they appear in "receive"
It's a common business phrase that's easy to picture and remember
It reinforces the rule "i before e, except after c"
The capitalization of CEO makes the C-E-I pattern stand out visually

Whenever you're unsure about spelling "receive," just think about a CEO receiving a report. The letters C-E-I in "CEO" will guide you to the correct spelling every time.

Why This Spelling Trick Works So Well

The best mnemonics create a strong mental association. Here's why this one is particularly effective:

Visual Pattern Recognition

By capitalizing CEO, the spelling trick creates a visual pattern that's easy to spot. Your brain naturally notices the C-E-I sequence, making it memorable and distinctive.

Contextual Memory

The phrase creates a mini-story (a CEO receiving a report) that's much easier to remember than an abstract spelling rule. Stories stick in our memory better than rules.

Reinforces the Rule

While teaching you "receive," this spelling trick also reinforces the broader "i before e, except after c" rule, helping you spell related words like "deceive" and "perceive."

Common Word Association

"CEO" is a familiar acronym that most people encounter regularly in business contexts, making the connection between "CEO" and "receive" easy to recall.

Practice Makes Perfect

Want to master "receive" and hundreds of other commonly misspelled words? Try our interactive spelling practice app with adaptive learning and instant feedback.

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Receive, Received, Receiving

The same CEI pattern applies to all verb forms: received, receiving, receiver. Think "The CEO reCEIved the report yesterday" or "The CEO is reCEIving the report now." The spelling trick works for every form - just remember those three letters in order: C-E-I.

Word Origin

The spelling of 'receive' reflects its French origins, where the 'ei' pattern became standard after the letter c. English inherited this spelling convention, which led to the famous 'i before e, except after c' rule.

Etymology Path:

Latin recipere → Old French receivre → Modern English receive

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about spelling "receive" correctly

Receive or Recieve?Which Spelling is Correct?

The Perfect Mnemonic

How the Spelling Trick Works

Why This Spelling Trick Works So Well

Visual Pattern Recognition

Contextual Memory

Reinforces the Rule

Common Word Association

Practice Makes Perfect

Receive, Received, Receiving

Word Origin

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it "receive" or "recieve"?

Why is receive spelled with EI instead of IE?

What's the trick to remember receive spelling?

What are common misspellings of receive?

What is the "I before E except after C" rule?

What other words follow the same EI after C pattern?

Receive or Recieve?
Which Spelling is Correct?