Whether to drop the final –e on English words before adding a suffix can be confusing for some English speakers.
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 | (when the letter before e is c or g) |
-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 |
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 |
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