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You have compared suffix spellings before. Help check the lesson's reading-corner sign. It describes a book that is pleasant to read.
Which adjective should the sign use?
Spelling -able & -ible
Spell words ending in -able/-ible and the corresponding adverb forms -ably/-ibly, applying patterns to determine which suffix to use based on the root word
What a learner can do afterwards
- Use complete base words as a clue to -able, learn common -ible spellings such as visible and possible, and recognise counterexamples such as flexible and sociable
- Convert -able/-ible adjectives into adverbs by changing the ending to -ably/-ibly, e.g. comfortable → comfortably, possible → possibly, terrible → terribly
- Determine whether to drop or retain the final -e of the root when adding -able, e.g. adorable (drop e) vs changeable (keep e before soft g)
1 · Read
-Able and -ible can sound alike. A complete base word can suggest -able. Learn these -able adjectives: enjoyable, comfortable, washable, readable and drinkable. Learn these -ible adjectives: visible, possible, audible, responsible and edible. Parts such as vis and aud do not stand alone as everyday English words, but can still carry meaning.
Before -able, a final silent e often drops. Learn adorable, valuable and believable with this change. Keep e after soft c or g in changeable and noticeable. For a worked check, move loses its final e: mov + able = movable. Manage keeps its e: manage + able = manageable. Check the whole spelling when unsure.
For adjectives ending in -ble, replace the final e with y to form the adverb. Keep the other letters. Agreeable becomes agreeably: agreeabl + y. Use the same method with comfortable, possible, terrible, horrible, reliable and flexible. Gentle also follows this e-to-y change.
The complete-word check is only a clue. Flex is a complete word, but flexible takes -ible. If the part before an ending is not a complete word, that alone does not choose either spelling. Sociable uses -able even though soci does not stand alone as an everyday word. Learn these spellings and check a dictionary when unsure.
Check the written ending as well as the sound. In a one-syllable base ending in a single vowel letter followed by a single consonant letter, usually double the final consonant before -able when the vowel is short. Do not double w, x or y. Hug has u followed by g, so hug becomes huggable. A vowel written with two letters does not meet this condition.
To check a mixed spelling list, check -able or -ible, then check any adverb ending. Learn remarkable, acceptable and respectable with -able, and terrible and sensible with -ible. For an adverb made from one of these -ble adjectives, apply the e-to-y change. Compare every letter before counting the spellings that match.
A complete base can suggest -able, but learn exceptions and common -ible words. Check base changes, and replace final e with y in the taught adverbs.
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