A suffix is added to the end of a word. Usually you just add it: help, helping, helped.
If a word ends in a silent e, drop the e before -ing or -ed: smile, smiling, smiled. If it is short, with one vowel and one consonant at the end, double the consonant: hop, hopping; big, bigger.
If a word ends in consonant + y, change y to i before -ed, -er or -est: cry, cried; happy, happier. Keep the y before -ing: crying.
Worked example
Add -est to “sad”.
- Sad is short: one vowel (a), one consonant (d).
- Double the d, then add -est.
Answer:saddest
Key words
- suffix
- letters added to the end of a word
- root word
- the word you start with
- silent e
- an e at the end that you do not hear
Practise this
New questions every time.
Common Core-referenced: L.2.2d