Suffixes and Stressed Syllables

Suffixes and Stressed Syllables

Here is another group of words which cause many people to make mistakes. Once again, the problem is to decide whether or not to double the final consonant of the base word when adding a suffix. And, once again, there's a pattern to help you out.
Read the following words aloud and try to decide where you place the stress or emphasis:

profit	target	enter	order
begin	equip	regret	commit

You should notice that in the top line you stressed the first syllable. And in the bottom line you stressed the second syllable. Like this:

profit	target	enter	order
begin	equip	regret	commit

Here is the pattern which is so helpful:
If the stress is on the first syllable the base word doesn't change:
profit + able = profitable; and enter + ed = entered
If the stress is on the last syllable, double the final consonant before adding a vowel suffix:
begin + ing = beginning; and equip + ed = equipped
(No change if a consonant suffix is added so:
equip + ment = equipment )

This pattern is so valuable that it's worth memorizing it.
Use the pattern to add suffixes to the following:

1st syllable stressed		2nd syllable stressed
garden + er		forget + able
limit + ed		begin + ing
order + ing		occur + ing
alter + ation		omit + ed
market + ing		regret + ful

http://www.spelling.hemscott.net/suffix5.html
02/12/2010