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English Drop the final -e before adding a suffix

Whether to drop the final -e on some English words before adding a suffix can be confusing for some English speakers.

1. When the suffix begins with a vowel then the final -e is usually dropped:

Suffix Stem New word
-able define definable
-age store storage
-ed save saved
-est sure surest
-ing joke joking
-ion illustrate illustration
-or orate orator
-ory mandate mandatory
-ous fame famous
 
Exceptions
-able trace traceable
-ous courage courageous

When the word ends in two vowels, the final e is usually not dropped:

Double vowels
-ed shoe shoed
-ing flee fleeing
 
Exception
-ing argue arguing


2. When the suffix begins with a consonant the final -e is usually not dropped.

Suffix stem stem+suffix
-ly time timely
  sure surely
  late lately
 
-ment atone atonement
manage management
base basement
 
-ness sedate sedateness
like likeness
bare bareness

Except for words that end with ue, which drop the e:

-ly true truly
due duly
-ment argue argument


 

English Spelling

 

  

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