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Tips, insights, and updates about English learning
-tion or -sion? A Simple Spelling Rule You Can Tell from Verb Endings
decide becomes decision, and act becomes action. Both are noun suffixes, but why does one use -sion and the other -tion? Actually, you can tell just by looking at how the original verb ends. This article gives you a handy rule to take away, plus a quick guide to common noun suffixes, so you can spell long words with confidence.
photo → photography → photographic: Stress-Shifting Rules When Adding -tion, -ic, and -ity
When you add -tion, -ic, or -ity to a word, the stress often shifts completely. By remembering the simple rule 'the stress falls on the syllable right before these suffixes,' you can instantly pronounce word families like PHOto, eCONomy, and eLECtric naturally and authentically, nailing the stress every single time.
-ful means 'with', -less means 'without': The easiest way to learn adjective suffixes in pairs
By memorizing one root word, you can easily learn both the -ful and -less versions at the same time, with their meanings being exact opposites. This article will guide you through using the 'with/without' pairing method to master careful/careless and hopeful/hopeless—learning two words at once while reducing your spelling anxiety.
-er or -or? How to Choose the Right Suffix for 'Someone Who Does Something' Every Time
teacher, actor, and scientist all refer to 'someone who does something,' but they have different suffixes. This article shares three quick tips to help you figure out whether to use -er, -or, or -ist, complete with a high-frequency word list. It also teaches you how to tell er and ed apart during dictation, making you a much more confident speller.
-able or -ible? A simple drop-the-suffix rule to tell them apart
Why does comfortable use -able while visible uses -ible? What's the actual difference? Actually, there is a super simple trick to tell them apart: drop the suffix and see if what's left is still a complete word. Master this trick, and along with this list of high-frequency -ible words, you'll never have to guess spelling again.