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:
- care + ful = careful
- care + less = careless
Exceptions to Rule 3
Examples:
- true + ly = truly
- 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
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