SpellingIQ

How to spell eligible

eligible

Eligible is spelled E-L-I-G-I-B-L-E.

Not eligable.

Why is eligible easy to misspell?

-able or -ible

The word eligible ends -ible, and the misspelling eligable writes -able. Elig- is not a word on its own, and stems like that usually take -ible, as this one does.

-able and -ible sound identical, so the ending has to be learned rather than heard. -able is the commoner of the two, and usually follows a part that can stand as a word on its own.

What does eligible mean?

adjective. Having the right to do or obtain something; satisfying the appropriate conditions.

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SpellingIQ is a skill rating for spelling ability, not a clinical or psychometric IQ measure. American English is canonical; common variants are accepted.