Orthography / As Outlined in the State Course of Study for Illinois

by Elmer W. Cavins

A SUFFIX is a significant syllable joined to the end of a word; as, man ly, fert ile, ment ion.

AFFIX is a general term for prefixes and suffixes; it may be applied to either or to both together.

SEVENTH YEAR.

[Fifth Month.]
SILENT LETTERS.

Silent letters have at least four uses:

1. To modify sounds of other letters in the same syllable.

Drop final silent e from such words as the following and note the effect on the sound of the other vowel in the same syllable: bare, pure, ripe, lame.

2. To indicate pronunciation.

In the four words last given, for illustration, the pronunciation changes when the final silent e is dropped.

Another class of words ending in ce and ge retain the final silent e on adding a suffix beginning with a or o to preserve the soft sound of c and g, and with it the correct pronunciation of the word; as, serviceable, noticeable, changeable, courageous.