you have already learnt in your earlier classes. . Final ‘e’ a) When a suffix is added to words ending in silent ‘e’, the letter ‘e’ is normally dropped before a vowel. e.g.
drape + ed – draped / hope + ed – hoped / close + ed - closed strike + ing – striking / like + ing – liking / fine + er – finer / wise + \ er – wiser / large + er - larger brave + est – bravest / safe +est – safest / nice + est - nicest / love + able – lovable / move + able – movable b) The final ‘e’ is not normally dropped before a consonant. e.g. hope + full – hopeful / shame + full - shameful like + ness – likeness / tire + some – tiresome / use + less - useless / move + ment – movement / sure + ly – surely / nine + ty - ninety c) Exceptions to the rule e.g. true + ly – truly / due + ly - duly / awe + ful – awful / nine + th – 12th - - Page .
The Final Consonant a) In short words ending in one vowel letter + one consonant letter, the consonant is doubled before an ending with a vowel. (-ed, -ing, -er, -est) e.g. drop + ed – dropped / bag + ed – bagged / stop + ing – stopping / plan + ing – planning / big – er – bigger / hot + est – hottest However, clean + ed – cleaned / weak + er – weaker (two vowels)/ ask + ed – asked / fast + er – faster (two consonants) b) In longer words, the final syllable is doubled if the last part of the word is stressed. e.g.
begin + ing – beginning / refer + ed – referred / admit + ed – admitted c) The consonant is not doubled if the last part of the word is unstressed. e.g. visit +