That old spelling mantra, which generations of British schoolchildren have learnt for decades, "i before e, except after c," is under threat.
Under new British government guidance teachers have been told not to pass on the rule to students, because there are too many exceptions.
A document called "Support For Spelling" is being sent to thousands of primary schools, and it says the rule "is not worth teaching" because it doesn't account for words like 'sufficient,' 'veil' and 'their.'
Jack Bovill of the Spelling Society, which advocates simplified spelling, said he agreed with the decision, even though it is one of the few language rules that people remember.
Luckily the government doesn't run my website, so I'll carry on regardless.