SPELLING RULES

Exercise 

Look at the words below. How has the spelling changed from the base word in brackets, and why?

1. (happy) happiness 

2. (advise) advisable 

3. (complete) completely 

Answers 

1. The y has been charged to i (because when a suffix is added to a word ending in a consonant + y, the y normally changes to i).

2. The e has been dropped (because the suffix begins with a vowel).

3. The e has not been dropped (because the suffix begins with a consonant).

     When adding prefixes and suffixes, there are a number of spelling rules that need to be followed. However, there are often exceptions to these rules and a number of irregular forms. 

SPELLING RULES FOR AFFIXES 

□When prefixes are added, letters are not normally added or taken away. 

e.g. (sure) unsure, (necessary) unnecessary 

□When the first letter of a word is l,p or r, the negative prefix is often il-, im- and ir-.

e.g. (legal) illegal, (possible) impossible, (responsible) irresponsible 

□The final consonant of a word is often doubled when a suffix beginning with a vowel is added. 

e.g. (fit) fitting, (drop) dropped 

□When a suffix beginning with a vowel is added to a word ending in e, the e is normally dropped. 

e.g. (invite) invitation, (fame) famous 

□When a suffix beginning with a consonant is added to a word ending in e, the e is not normally dropped. 

e.g. (wide) widely, (blame) blameless 

□When a suffix is added to a word ending in a consonant plus y, the y normally changes to i.

e.g. (empty) emptiness, (easy) easily