Write for Business - Blog

If a word ends in a y preceded by a consonant, change the y to i before adding any suffix, unless the suffix is ing.

worry - worrisome - worrying

study - studious - studying

lazy - laziness

try - tried - trying

If a word ends in a y preceded by a vowel, form the plural by simply adding an s.

key - keys

day - days

play - plays

(From Write for Business, page 216, and Proofreader's Guide PDF, page 28)

If a word ends with a silent e, keep the e when adding a suffix beginning with a consonant. Drop the e when adding a suffix beginning with a vowel.

hope - hopeful - hoping

care - careless - caring

value - valueless — valuable

love - lovelorn - lovable

Exceptions: courageous, noticeable, judgment

(From Write for Business, page 216, and Proofreader's Guide PDF, page 28)

If a single-syllable word (for example, sad) ends with a consonant (d) preceded by a single vowel (a), double the final consonant before adding a suffix beginning with a vowel (saddest).

tap - tapping

plan - planner

If a multisyllable word (admit) ends in a consonant (t) preceded by a single vowel (i), the accent is on the last syllable (ad-mit), and the suffix begins with a vowel (ed) - the same rule holds true: double the final consonant (admitted).

occur - occurrence

refer - referring

(From Write for Business, page 216, and Proofreader's Guide PDF, page 28)

Use i before e except after c, or when sounded like a as in freight and eighty.

deceit

ceiling

belief

piece

Exceptions: This sentence can help you remember eight exceptions:

Neither sheik dared leisurely seize either weird species of financiers.

(From Write for Business, page 216, and Proofreader's Guide PDF, page 28)

An initialism is similar to an acronym except that the initials are pronounced as individual letters.

FDA - Food and Drug Administration

ICC - Interstate Commerce Commission

SUV - Sport-Utility Vehicle

Note: Spell out an initialism the first time you use it, followed by its abbreviation in parentheses. Once the initialism has been identified in this way, you may use just the abbreviation.

(From Write for Business, page 215, and Proofreader's Guide PDF, page 27)