Adding a Suffix to Any Word¶
We can divide the adding suffixes in to four categories:
- The word ending with Silent 'e'
- The word ending with One Vowel and One Consonant
- The word ending with 'y'
- Other cases
Rules¶
1. The word ending with Silent 'e'¶
Generally, when adding a suffix, the silent e at the end of a word should be dropped. However, if the terminal e is added to maintain the softening of c or g, then this e cannot be removed when adding a suffix.
2. The word ending with One Vowel and One Consonant¶
The consonant letter at the end of a word should be doubled when all of the following conditions are met:
- The word ends with a vowel letter + a consonant letter
- The syllable at the end of the word is stressed
- The added suffix starts with a vowel letter
Specifically, if the whole word only has one syllable, then this syllable must be the stressed syllable, so the second condition above must hold.
For example:
let + ing -> letting
big + est -> biggest
run + ing -> running
star + ing -> starring
sitr + ed -> stirred
blur + y -> blurry
3. The word ending with 'y'¶
When the word ends with y, if the following conditions are met, then y should be changed to i:
- The y at the end of the word is the vowel letter y
- The suffix does not start with i
For examples：
The word needs to change y to i:
try + es -> tries
baby + s -> babies
happy + ness -> happiness
puppy + es -> puppies
Because it is not a vowel y, so we do not need to change y to i:
boy + s -> boys
play + er -> player
Because the suffix starts with i, so we do not need to change y to i:
baby + ish -> babyish
cry + ing -> crying
worry + ing -> worrying
study + ing -> studying
Examples¶
1. The word ending with Silent 'e'¶
behave + ing
behave 末尾的 e 应该去掉，因此 behave + ing = behaving。
courage + ous
courage 末尾的 e 是为了保持 g 的软化而存在的，因此 e 不能去掉，所以 courage + ous = courageous。
oblige + ation
虽然 oblige 的 e 是为了保持 g 的软化而存在的，但是在加 ation 后， obligation 中的 g 读作 /g/，不需要软化，因此 e 可以去掉。所以 oblige + ation = obligation。
2. The word ending with One Vowel and One Consonant¶
travel + ed
因为结尾不是重音，所以不需要双写 l，所以 travel + ed = traveled。
control + ing
因为结尾是重音，所以需要双写 l，所以 control + ing = controlling。
3. The word ending with 'y'¶
temporary + ly
temporary 末尾的 y 是单元音 y，所以应该变成 i，所以 temporary + ly = temporarily。
employ + ment
employ 末尾的 y 不是单元音 y，所以不需要变成 i，所以 employ + ment = employment。
4. Other cases¶
walk + ed
不属于前三种情况，直接加 ed，所以 walk + ed = walked。
support + ed
不属于前三种情况，直接加 ed，所以 support + ed = supported。
c 和 g 的软化¶
In English, c and g can be softened. When a letter e, i, y follows c or g, c and g will be softened. For example:
center, circle, icy, accent, accident, agency, germ, ginger, giant, gym, allergy.