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5: Suffixes
Suffixes are letters added to the end of a word.
The vowels are the
Here are some suffixes beginning with a vowel: letters a, e, i, o and u.
-able -al -ed -en -er -est -ing -ish -ive -ous -y
The consonants are all the
other letters of the
Here are some suffixes beginning with a consonant:
alphabet.
-ful -fully -less -ly -ment -ness -s -some
For many words you just add the suffix. For example:
sort + ed = sorted usual + ly = usually care + less = careless
But, suffixes are trickier than prefixes because, for
some words, the spelling of the word changes when
you add the suffix.
Here are some rules for adding suffixes:
Suffixes: The ‘y’ to ‘i’ Rule
If the word ends in a CONSONANT followed by ‘y’, change the ‘y’ to ‘i’.
happy + ness = happiness
consonant + y ‘y’ changes to ‘i’
NOTE: When you add the suffix ‘ing’, you keep the ‘y’
otherwise you have two ‘i’s together!
cry + ing = crying (NOT cry + ing = criing)
If the word ends in a VOWEL followed by ‘y’, keep the ‘y’.
enjoy+able = enjoyable stay+ed = stayed
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