how to spell: building words with suffixes part 2 - the spelling rules

Another spelling video from howtospell.co.uk and in this 4th video in the Building Words with Prefixes and Suffixes series we're looking at suffixes and spelling rules.

This is a very very brief look at some spelling rules but I'll make some suggestions about my videos you should watch that go into more depth about the rule. But just a warning - there are always tons of exceptions with spelling rules it would be nice if a rule was a rule but not in English spelling I'm afraid.

Can you remember what a suffix is ?

They're small words that we add to the end of words to make new words or change the grammar and they sometimes change the end letter of root words which is where the rules come in.

But first we need to understand what vowel and consonant suffixes are

vowel suffix are any suffix starting with a, e, i, o, u
-ance
-er
-ing
-able/-ible
-est
-ed
-ation

consonant suffixes =
-ly
-less
-y
-ship
-ment
-ness
-ful
-s



1. let's look at the Y to i rule with words ending in consonant + y.
Change the y to i before vowel suffixes (except -ing)
carry + ed = carried carry + er = carrier
carry + age = carriage
BUT carry + ing = carrying (can't have two i's carriing!!!!! But exceptions see rule 5)

b. Change the y to i before consonant suffixes

beauty + ful = beautiful
happy + ness = happiness
happy + ly = happily

c. exceptions -- dryer, drying, dryish, dryness, slyness

d. Changing ie to y
die + ing = dying
tie + ing = tying
lie + ing = lying

e. y remains if the word ends in a vowel + y
buy -- buyer, buying, buyssay - saying, says,
coy - coyly
boy - boys

2. Drop the 'e' rule before a vowel suffix
drop the e' with ing

make - making - have having, write writing


a. Words ending in silent 'e' + vowel suffix
love - loving, lover, loved, lovable (or loveable)
make -- making, maker
use -- using, usable, user, used

b. Exceptions -- words ending in 'ce' or 'ge' keep the 'e' before -ous and -able ( because it softens the 'g', 'c' sound)
gorgeous courageous

manage -- manageable (BUT drop the 'e' with -ing, -ed, er managing, managed, manager)

f. Keep the 'e' when the word ends in ee or ye
agree -- agreeing
eye- eyeing
see -- seeing
guaranteeing, foreseeing, decreeing

g. Keep the 'e' before -ly
accurate+ ly = accurately, like + ly = likely, love+ ly = lovely, definite + ly = definitely

BUT due -- duly, subtle = subtly, true -- truly

g. Keep the 'e' before -ment
achieve + ment = achievement, advertisement, arrangement, excitement, involvement, replacement

BUT drop the 'e' with argue + ment = argument.

Also acknowledgement or acknowledgment can be spelt either way.

judgement usually keeps the 'e' but lawyers spell it without the 'e' judgment
Check out the drop the 'e' rule video



3. 1:1:1 rule -- Check out the 1:1:1 doubling up video

a. Words of 1 syllable ending in 1 vowel+ 1 consonant -- double the last letter before a vowel suffix

shop -- shopped, shopping, shopperplan -- planned, planning, planner
fat -- fatter, fatten, fattest, fatty

Do not double last letter if it's a w, x, y -- tax -- taxed, stay -- staying, towed...
Do not double if two vowels - heat -- heating, sleeping, sleeper...
Do not double if two consonants -- sharp- sharpen, fasting, turned...

BUT qu- is classed as one consonant because we can't have q without the uquit -- quitting, quitter, quitted
quiz -- quizzed, quizzing, quizzer

b. Words of more than 1 syllable ending in 1 vowel + 1 consonant when the stress is on the last syllable double up the last letter.
regret -- regrettable, regretting, regretted
forget -- forgettable, forgetting (past: forgot -- forgotten)
begin -- beginning, beginner
BUT
prefer -- preferring, preferred (BUT preference, preferable, preferential- the stress moves)
refer -- referred, referring (BUT reference, referee- the stress moves)
confer -- conferred, conferring (BUT conference)


4. Double the last LWords of more than 1 syllable ending in 1 vowel + L always double up the L before avowel suffix (except after -ity and -ise). American spelling don't double up.
cancel -- cancelling, cancelled, cancellation (American -- canceling, canceled, cancelation)marvel -- marvellous, marvelled, marvelling (American -- marvelous, marveling...)

5. Words ending in vowels -- no change with vowel suffixes.
echo -- echoed, echoer, echoing
henna -- hennaed
mascara -- mascaraed
radio -- radioed
ski -- skied, skier, skiingtaxi -- taxied, taxiingvideo -- videoed, videoing

These words are from other languages or new words like video, radio.


That's it thanks for listening, and and reading this.

SIgn up for free spelling lessons at www.howtospell.co.uk - see you there