Spelling: Suffixes and 'e'
If an original word ends in a final e, as in manage,adding a suffix will sometimes require that you drop the final e in the root word.
- Drop the final e: managing
- Keep the final e: management
How do you know when to drop the final e?
First, consider the following examples, which either drop or keep the final e.
- careless (keep)
- careful (keep)
- caring (drop)
- cared (drop)
- courageous (keep)
- noticeable (keep)
- noticing (drop)
Now take a look at the rules.
Rules
- Keep the e:
- if the suffix starts with a consonant;
- if the root word ends in −ge or −ce (e.g. courage) and the suffix starts with an o or an a (courage + −ous → courageous); or
- if the base form ends in −oe or −ee, unless the suffix begins with an e (to avoid a triple eee!).
- Otherwise, drop the final e.
Do the examples below follow the rules we’ve laid out?
- manageable
- serviceable
- serviced
- seeing
- canoeing
- freed
