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Unit 20: The soft c sound: ce ci cy words

Page 10 of 13

Unit 20: Soft c: ce, ci and cy words

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Page 10 of 13

Suffixes and the soft c sound

think back to spelling teaching Remember:
THE 'DROP E' RULES:

1. If you add a vowel suffix to a word that ends in e, you drop the e.
For example:

bake + ing = baking nerve + ous = nervous excite + able = excitable

2. If you add a consonant suffix, keep the e.
For example:

love + ly = lovely shame + ful = shameful close + ness = closeness

Teaching point - learning to spell There are special rules for adding suffixes to words ending in ce:

If a word ends in ce, the e is there to make c say /s/, not /k/:

place force service

The only letters that can make c say its soft sound /s / are e, i and y.

So, if you add a suffix that begins with e, i or y you CAN drop the e, because the suffix will make c say its soft sound /s/ :

place + ing = placing
force + ing = forcing
service + ing = servicing

But, if the suffix begins with a or o (or any consonant) keep the e.

place + ment = placement
force + ful = forceful
service + able = serviceable

Try this test of the suffix rules for -ce words.
Sometimes you can drop the e; sometimes you must keep it.
Ask yourself "Will c still make its soft sound /s/ ?"

Add the suffix to the root word

Type the answer

notice + ing
notice + able
price + ing
price + less
spice + y
pronounce + ed
pronounce + able
fierce + ly
fierce + est
replace + ment
replace + ing
replace + able


Skip this exercise and go to the next part of this unit: Homophones for ce, ci and cy words. *

* Skip link not available for logged in students.

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