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Suffixes

26 一月, 2015 - 09:49

A suffix is a word part added to the end of a word to create a new meaning. Study the suffix rules in the following boxes.

Rule 1

When adding the suffixes -ness and -lyto a word, the spelling of the word does not change.

Examples:

  • dark + ness = darkness
  • scholar + ly = scholarly

Exceptions to Rule 1

When the word ends in y, change the y to i before adding -ness and -ly.

Examples:

  • ready + ly = readily
  • happy + ness = happiness

Rule 2

When the suffix begins with a vowel, drop the silent e in the root word.

Examples:

  • care + ing = caring
  • use + able = usable

Exceptions to Rule 2

When the word ends in ce or ge, keep the silent e if the suffix begins with a or o. Examples:

  • replace + able = replaceable
  • courage + ous = courageous

Rule 3 When the suffix begins with a consonant, keep the silent e in the original word.

Examples:

  1. care + ful = careful
  2. care + less = careless

Exceptions to Rule 3

Examples:

  1. true + ly = truly
  2. argue + ment = argument

Rule 4

When the word ends in a consonant plus y, change the y to i before any suffix not beginning with i.

Examples:

  • sunny + er = sunnier
  • hurry + ing = hurrying

Rule 5

When the suffix begins with a vowel, double the final consonant only if (1) the word has only one syllable or is accented on the last syllable and (2) the word ends in a single vowel followed by a single consonant.

Examples:

  • tan + ing = tanning (one syllable word)
  • regret + ing = regretting (The accent is on the last syllable; the word ends in a single vowel followed by a single consonant.)
  • cancel + ed = canceled (The accent is not on the last syllable.)
  • prefer + ed = preferred