When we change the form of a verb or a noun, there is usually a dropping and adding of letters. There are many rules for that.
The final -e
We often drop the final -e when a suffix beginning with a vowel is added to a word:
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approve + -al → approval |
hope + -ing → hoping |
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fame + -ous → famous |
invite + -ation → invitation |
|
hate + -ed → hated |
note + -able → notable |
We keep the -e in dyeing (from dye) and singeing (from singe) to differentiate them from similar words e.g. dying (from die) and singing (from sing).
When a suffix begins with a consonant (e.g. -less, -ful, -ly, -ment) we do not normally drop the -e:
definitely excitement forceful hopeless lately widely
Sometimes we do drop the -e:
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argue → argument |
true → truly |
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due → duly |
whole → wholly |
Some words have alternative forms with or without an -e: for example, acknowledgement or acknowledgment, and judgement or judgment.
The suffix -ally
The suffix -ally is added to adjectives ending in -ic to form adverbs:
basic → basically
realistic → realistically
tragic → tragically
BUT: publicly
Changing -y to -i
When we add a suffix to a word ending in a consonant + -y, we normally change -y to i:
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amplify + -er → amplifier |
happy + -ly → happily |
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busy + -ness → business |
hurry + -s → hurries |
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day + -ly → daily |
purify + -cation → purification |
|
easy + -ly → easily |
reply + -ed → replied |
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fury + -ous → furious |
spy + -s → spies |
Some words with one syllable keep the -y before a suffix: dryness, shyness, slyness.
We keep -y before -ing: studying, worrying.
We keep -y before ’s: the fly’s wings, Andy’s house.
We usually keep the -y in most words that end in a vowel + -y:
buy → buyer
destroy → destroys
BUT: day → daily