Classzone: The Language of Literature, Grade 7

Name _______________________________________

Lesson 11 The suffixes ance/ant and ence/ent

attend + ance = attendance ancient

avoid + ance = avoidance science

annoy + ance = annoyance conscience

apply + ance = appliance efficient

defy + ance = defiance sufficient

guide + ance = guidance frequent

defend + ant = defendant sequence

contest + ant = contestant delinquent

inhabit + ant = inhabitant adolescent

descend + ant = descendant crescent

1.	What two suffixes are added to the words in the first column? ___________ ___________ Are they added to complete words or to roots? ____________________________

2.	Three of the words in the first column end with the letter y. Why does the y change to i in only two of the words when a suffix beginning with a vowel is added? ___________________________________________________________________

3.	What two suffixes are added to form the words in the last column? ___________ ___________ Are they added to complete words? ____________________________

4.	How many of the words in the last column have the letters ci immediately before the ent or ence? ___________ The letters qu? ___________ The letters sc? ___________

Lesson Generalization
The a in ance/ant is difficult to distinguish from the e in ence/ent. The endings sound alike.
The suffixes ance and ant are commonly added to complete words.
The suffixes ence and ent are commonly added to roots. They are used after the letters ci, qu, and sc.
Mnemonic device: Many words that begin with the letter a take the suffix that begins with the letter a.